OPINION: LaFrance knows what the Anchorage Police Department is worth

Providing for the safety of its citizens is the most essential service a government should deliver. Whether in their homes, their places of work, on the roadways or in public spaces, the people of Anchorage deserve to feel protected. Every day, we ask the men and women of the Anchorage Police Department to put themselves in harm’s way, to often face the worst and most tragic circumstances imaginable, so that we may sleep soundly at night. Having served as an Alaska State Trooper myself, I know the physical and emotional toll the job takes on a person.

But a hard job is made all the harder when we continuously ask our officers to do more with less. APD is down 42 officers, plus 19 non-sworn positions. Around 50 officers will be eligible to retire next year. With two academies this year, we can expect 30 new officers coming in at best. Already, residents are frustrated by long response times and less attention on lower-priority crimes. Officers are also frustrated, as the workload increases, opportunities in special assignments diminish, and calls must be triaged for severity as they come in. Unless something changes, this vicious cycle will only grow worse.

I believe Suzanne LaFrance is the mayoral candidate best equipped to address this problem. As an Assembly member, LaFrance prioritized rebuilding the police force after deep cuts by a prior administration. Her appreciation of the work APD does, and her steadfast support for it, were demonstrated time and again. The Anchorage Police Department Employee Association PAC has recognized this commitment and endorsed her as a candidate. LaFrance recognizes we need to reverse this multi-year trend of losing officers to other agencies if we are going to make our city safer, and is willing to take the steps necessary to fix it.

We also need a mayor who recognizes that in today’s climate of interrelated drug, mental health and homeless challenges, APD cannot do it all. Our mental and behavioral health response must be adequate and capable to address these issues. During her time on the Assembly, Suzanne LaFrance worked as part of a team to stand up the fire department’s mental health crisis response team. Her commitment to making sure these teams are fully funded and staffed will allow APD officers to refocus on investigations. This will be essential if we hope to see real progress on reducing retail crime, drug trafficking and other forms of organized criminal activity.

Effecting a meaningful change in public safety will require a coordinated effort, with the Assembly, the mayor, and the state government all having a role to play. We need our next mayor to strongly push for more state support for behavioral health treatment, as I know LaFrance will. We also see more and more officers are leaving Alaska to work for agencies with defined retirement benefits. It is fair and right that those who dedicate their careers to protecting society should be cared for by that society when they retire. Our next mayor must be a strong advocate for state pension reform, and I know Suzanne LaFrance will deliver.

We ask a lot from the men and women of the Anchorage Police Department. We ask them to endure long hours, tremendous stress, and risk their lives to keep us safe. They deserve a mayor who 100% supports them, will advocate for them, and will work to make our city a place they can feel appreciated by and proud of.

Zac Johnson is a former Alaska State Trooper, U.S. Marine and current member of the Anchorage Assembly, representing South Anchorage and Girdwood.

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