Two Honolulu police officers who were arrested in Las Vegas last month on misdemeanor drug charges have been placed on administrative leave and have had their police powers removed, police officials said yesterday.

An internal investigation was begun shortly after the department learned of the Aug. 15 arrests in Las Vegas, and that administrative inquiry is ongoing, the officials said.

Officials would not say whether Officers Shayne Souza and Kevin Fujioka will continue to be paid during the investigation nor would they say when the two were placed on administrative leave.

An officer whose police powers have been removed is required to turn in his gun and badge and is no longer authorized to arrest, detain or otherwise exercise privileges conferred on active police officers.

Meanwhile, tentative court dates of Oct. 15 and Nov. 16 were set for the two officers in Las Vegas. Clark County officials in Nevada said the start of the trial could be delayed.

Prosecutors are awaiting the results of laboratory tests on materials that were seized as evidence when Las Vegas park police arrested Souza and Fujioka on Aug. 15 near Desert Breeze Park, said Clark County spokeswoman Stacey Welling.

At the time of their release from the Clark County Detention Center, the two were given tentative court dates, Welling said.

Souza, 47, and Fujioka, 37, were off duty in Las Vegas to participate in a softball tournament, officials here have said.

MARIJUANA CHARGES

Las Vegas police officers who are employees of the Las Vegas Department of Parks noticed a white van that was parked across two parking spots, Welling said a few days after Souza and Fujioka were arrested.

As park police officers approached, the van drove off and there was a short pursuit, Welling said at the time of the arrests. She said the van stopped and Souza and Fujioka ran from the park police officers, but were captured almost immediately.

The two Honolulu officers were charged with marijuana possession along with a third man from Honolulu, Scott Wilson, 38, who was with them.

Fujioka also was charged with driving under the influence of a narcotic, while Souza faces additional charges of resisting arrest and obstruction of justice. All of the charges are misdemeanors under Las Vegas law.

Souza, a 20-year veteran of the Honolulu Police Department who is currently assigned to the Specialized Services Division, and Fujioka, who has been with HPD for 13 years and is a patrol officer assigned to the Pearl City police district, had been listed as being on leave since their arrest.