Rape kit question may go unanswered

WASILLA — There were no rape victims or insurance companies billed by the city for forensic kits after a law went into effect in 2000 banning the practice while Sarah Palin was Wasilla’s mayor.

This is the official stance of the city in response to nationwide questioning since Palin was named the Republican vice presidential nominee. As part of examining Palin’s past political history, many have questioned the governor about statements her then chief of police made that indicate Wasilla had a practice of charging rape victims for costs associated with forensic testing.

The city’s response, signed by current Mayor Dianne M. Keller, doesn’t mention if rape victims were or were not billed for kits previous to the law.

A recent Associated Press story sparked a firestorm of comments and reaction after it reported Wasilla charged for rape kits while Palin was mayor. The story also alludes to other police departments in the state doing the same. What complicates Wasilla’s practice is a comment in the AP story from former Gov. Tony Knowles. Knowles says Wasilla was “unique” in the state for charging rape victims for the cost of the work needed to solve the crimes.

A May 23, 2000 Frontiersman story says the city, until Knowles signed legislation banning the practice, charged victims for rape kits even though the Alaska State Troopers and some other municipal police departments did not.

Charlie Fannon was Wasilla’s police chief at the time and expressed disappointment with the new law, saying it would cost the Wasilla Police Department $5,000 to $14,000 a year.

“In the past we’ve charged the cost of exams to the victims’ insurance company when possible,” Fannon says in the 2000 article. “I just don’t want to see any more burden put on the taxpayer.”

Fannon’s comments, and his monetary figure, appear to indicate Wasilla did, in fact, charge victims for the forensic kits before the 2000 law. How many times this may have happened is unclear.

Also in the 2000 article, then-Palmer Police Chief Laren Zager said Palmer had never billed anyone for an exam to collect evidence of a crime.

“As long as I am chief, I would never bill a victim,” Zager said at the time.

On Monday, current Wasilla Police Chief Angella Long, who has been with the department since its formation, said she doesn’t have any recollection of any victims who might have been charged for rape kits under Fannon and Palin’s watch.

“You’re going to have to talk to Charlie Fannon,” she said.

Fannon, who now lives in Delta Junction, is unreachable, his son, Josh Fannon, said Monday. Fannon has become the missing link to answer the question whether the city ever collected money from a rape victim. It’s an answer that may never come, Josh Fannon said.

“No one from my family is going to talk about it,” he said.

Wasilla City Clerk Kristie Smithers said the city normally purges records after six years. Because of this, the city doesn’t have data showing one way or another whether any victims, or how many, were ever charged for gathering forensic evidence. She said Fannon would be the one who knows best how many, if any, victims were billed.