OPINION: A fair solution for Alaska’s public safety retirement

As a 21-year-old, I was hired as a probation officer for mentally ill sex offenders in Anchorage. I took the job due to my interest and I knew in my bones that a government job was a solid bet. I was ready to settle down after college and start thinking about starting a family. I was born and raised in Alaska, and I knew I was lucky to be raised in one of the richest states in America. In 2007, I went to the Anchorage Police Department and was in the first police academy with new hires who would no longer have a pension. We started with 21 in our academy class; a couple of us were grandfathered into a pension, but most of the young, excited recruits had no idea that a government job was no longer a sure bet. They didn’t know they were exempted from Social Security because they had a “government retirement.” They didn’t know they had a simple 401(a) retirement that would likely only provide them a handful of years of income after 20-plus years of work as a police officer, and an even smaller Health Reimbursement Account, or HRA, for medical. There are only two of those officers left at APD 15 years later. Yes, they should have known about the retirement change, they should have done the research. But that is not the point. They picked this career because they wanted meaningful work and to protect their community. They wanted to be the ones who responded to help you on your worst day. And now, 15 years later, they have barely even started a meaningful retirement. Alaska is one of only two states in the United States that does not offer police officers a pension. It’s time for that to change. It’s time for Alaskans to take care of our public safety professionals.

I am a taxpayer in Alaska. With the offset of the Permanent Fund dividend, in typical years I’m at a net-zero payment to my city and state in taxes. I’m proud of my ASD-educated children. I’m proud of professional public safety in Anchorage, my streets are cleared and clean, and we live in a vibrantly diverse community. House Bill 55 is a reasonable return to a government pension for our public safety officers. Alaskans are quick to say we aren’t like the rest of the United States, we support our police, and we stand behind all public safety employees. It’s now time to put a little money where our mouths are. Support of public safety means helping them save for retirement after 20 years of dangerous and stressful work. HB55 has been fully vetted and the state and public safety actuaries agree it is responsible legislation with necessary safeguards for Alaska taxpayers. Those opposing it are political pawns from the Lower 48; you can listen to their testimony on the Legislature’s website.

In 1929, President Hoover commissioned the Wickersham Commission to deal with “police brutality.” In 1931, the report was complete; prohibition was abolished, and these are two of the recommendations for the police: 1. The corrupting influence of politics should be removed from the police organization; and 2. Officers should receive salaries that permit decent living standards, housing, appropriate work hours, days off, vacation, sick leave, accident and death benefits, and reasonable pension provisions on an actuarial basis.

Over the last 100 years, police departments have listened to their communities and responded to those concerns. The police have reformed, they’ve become more professional, and they’ve opened up in a human way. Police officers are thankful in Alaska to their community for the unwavering support but we are hurting to keep them from leaving for greener pastures with promises of longevity and meaningful retirements. HB 55 is an overall cost-saving measure; we must look at government services proactively rather than reactively. Our old pension system was a mess. HB 55 is not a mess. It was created after carefully examining those mistakes and responsibly and reasonably allocates the risk between Alaska and the public servants who put everything on the line every day for this state.

My ask to my community is simple: If you say you support public safety, then please do your due diligence on this matter. If you do, you will find that HB 55 is a reasonable fix to our government retirement. Contact your representatives and ask them to remove politics from our public safety departments and provide our first responders with a reasonable retirement in return for their service to our state.

Angelina (Fraize) Salvato is a lifelong Alaskan and has been in law enforcement in Alaska for 20 years. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and a master’s degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is an avid volunteer who is an original founder of Anchorage Cops for Community, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

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