Alaska’s leadership matters, now more than ever

I followed with great interest the recent Alaska visit by U.S. Attorney General William Barr. The media and publicity were robust; everyone looked good with the tours and education, meetings and press opportunities.

The problem is the underlying issues weren’t addressed. Alaska’s drug, violence and crime issues won’t be going away anytime soon, even with the U.S. attorney general in town and offering sound bites to local and national media on remedies and support.

Attorney General Barr’s invocation of an emergency status to resolve village crime and drug abuse is shortsighted. I have a hunch the follow-through and implementation of support by our federal government will be illusory and bare-bones. For example, take the bordering states to Mexico and a lack of tangible impact in those communities even with the emergency declaration in play.

In Alaska, past governors, state and federal legislators have for many years been aware of our growing domestic violence rates, incest and child abuse, as well as drug and alcohol abuse. Yet none acted responsibly to provide basic levels of service to curb the problems. This inaction or apathy came in concert with millions of dollars wasted in exorbitant capital and operating budgets adorned with line items for monumental offices and non-essential travel and benefits not available to the other branches of government.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s mantra during the 2018 gubernatorial election was efficiencies, rational-based budgeting, reductions and consolidation. He attested to the fact that, as state senator, he and colleagues may not have understood the big picture and, with study and statewide discussions, he gets it now.

Aside from un-credentialed commissioners, Alaska State Trooper posts are being closed or condensed, and precise rehabilitation and drug and alcohol education efforts are overshadowed by top-heavy nonprofit groups, Native corporations and subsidiaries that receive massive funding from taxpayers. But centralized, results-based outcomes are not in sight. Suicide, drug addiction and domestic violence rates are soaring. Declarations of an emergency by our U.S. attorney general are not only late in coming but would be unnecessary if state law enforcement and health care professionals were adequately staffed.

I recently learned of a plan in the form of Senate Bill 60 to make the governor of Alaska the commander of the Alaska State Defense Force — aka. the “Alaska Militia." This change would make the governor the “Commander in Chief,” in a sense. The wording of one section is of concern: AS 26.05.100(d) states, “The primary mission of the Alaska State Defense Force is to serve as a constabulary with state police powers. An Alaska State Defense Force member shall act as a peace officer and may use personal arms when called to state active duty under AS 26.05.070.” In this subsection, “constabulary” means an armed police force organized on military lines, but distinct from the regular Army.

The Department of Public Safety commissioner has expressed opennesss to issuing a special police “commission” to members of the militia and issuing them firearms. She would have the authority to decide if they have training to meet the requirements of the law. Alaska law says that she may commission those who have received training approved by the commissioner.

These issues are not new to Alaska. There has been much effort put into addressing this problem by many people over many years. The lack of diligence in providing for public safety, as a priority and moral responsibility of both the state of Alaska and the federal government, is the result of a breakdown in management that borders on malfeasance. This absence has created the lawless situations referred to by Attorney General Barr. Alaska should not take any pride in obtaining the same negative recognition as the southern border of our nation.

With regard to public safety and criminal justice, a much larger problem — one that inhibits providing a trained force of adequate strength to the rural areas — is and always has been one of funding. Since the federal government has designated more than 200 rural communities as “tribal villages,” the corporations should follow through with financial support to the Department of Public Safety to ensure adequate staffing, training and oversight to the VPSO program.

As far as the issue of "tribal police” is concerned, I do not believe the state has the authority, nor should they want to have any control over, tribal issues. Tribes are federal entities. Tribal police authority is only extended over tribal members and does not include authority over non-Natives. Alaska’s tribes and the one designated reservation are creations of congressional acts, as opposed to the creation of tribes and reservations in the Lower 48 created by actual treaties between "nations.” Alaska’s reserves are non-treaty. Agreements with federal Indian governments are practically unenforceable because of the inability to sue a tribal government.

Bottom line: Our U.S. attorney general’s concern, and a federal emergency declaration, are not remedial. Diligent review of what has worked, expertise in deployment and measured results are the only proper solution to rampant crime and addiction in rural Alaska — and urban centers, for that matter.

Gov. Dunleavy should invite the appropriate representative from the Department of Interior (Bureau of Indian Affairs), Department of Justice (FBI), U.S. attorneys and appropriate state of Alaska staff, all of whom who can make decisions and commitments to perform the duties and legal responsibilities as required by law, to work with Alaskans. The task force should include retired or former law enforcement, rural village elders, health care professionals and perhaps even Alaska Native corporation and private-sector non-Native representation. But with a date-certain reporting period, comparable to an exigent military engagement with outcomes precise, planned and achievable.

Alaskans deserve effective leadership now more than ever.

Dick Burton is a retired Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

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