Anchorage police and fire officials say they’re hampered by a tight labor market, limited budgets and recruitment barriers. But critics say they could be doing more. Via alaskapublic
Anchorage Police Department officers respond to the scene in downtown Anchorage in April 2022. Over the summer of 2020, the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis set off worldwide protests calling for an end to police violence and racial justice.committed to improving diversity in their ranks.
Anchorage Police Deputy Chief Sean Case said the department is making progress and has more work to do. Assistant Fire Chief Alex Boyd said the same. “There’s more to learn, and we’re gonna get better, but we are proud of where we’re at,” said Case, the deputy chief. She pointed out that the departments together make up more than 40% of the city’s operating budget. And, she said, she’s been soured about the police’s commitment to diversity after interactions over the past years, including the department declining to sign on to a joint press release denouncing white supremacy following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol building.
Case said the police department is working to transition recruitment material away from images of police cars and SWAT vehicles and instead focus on the department’s community outreach to attract a wider range of applicants. Still, Boyd said, the department is running into a Catch-22 of recruiting: Without a representative force, recruiters are less effective. But to get a more representative force, they need to recruit more people from diverse backgrounds.
For example, she said, her group hosts regular Zoom talks on topics important to the Black community and an annual community health fair. She said police and fire haven’t reached out to participate or set up a recruiting table.
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