Opportunity comes knocking for WPD, city

Another Valley official is off to Juneau to serve in the administration of Gov. Sarah Palin.

John Glass, who was named Wasilla police chief in July following the retirement of Don Savage, has been named deputy commissioner of the state Department of Public Safety. He will serve under Commissioner Walt Monegan, beginning Feb. 12.

Although he was with the Wasilla police for just a short time - not quite a year - Glass has a long and distinguished career in law enforcement that should be an asset to both the Palin administration and the state of Alaska. It's a great opportunity, and we congratulate him as he moves on to this exciting new position.

But opportunity and cause for congratulations do not end there. Replacing Glass at the Wasilla Police Department will be Angella Long.

This is a notable milestone for Wasilla not so much because Long is a woman taking on a job traditionally handled by a man, but because she is the first person to ascend through the department ranks to become chief.

Lack of internal promotion in previous chief searches has contributed to reports of declining morale among department staff. This was an issue in the last campaign for Wasilla mayor, when critics of the department's direction asked, with good reason, why existing staff were not considered for such promotion.

Long, who has been with the department since its inception in 1993, is a worthy choice to assume the reins. Her longevity of service and residency in the Valley flatten the learning curve and make her immediately prepared to take on the challenges of being chief of department in a city as diverse and fast-growing as Wasilla.

A 25-year veteran of law enforcement, Long has been part of the rise of the Wasilla Police Department from a one-desk, no-vehicle operation to its current state - 23 officers and a high-tech dispatch center. She started with WPD as an officer, got promoted to acting sergeant in May 2006, and was named deputy chief two months later.

Long said she has no immediate plans for changes at the department - none are needed, she says, because the department is in good shape.

It is also in good hands. In Long, the city has someone who understands what makes the department tick. Who could possibly be better-suited to do the job with sensitivity and confidence than someone who has earned the respect of co-workers from being in the trenches with them for so long?

Congratulations and best wishes to Long in her new post. And kudos to Mayor Dianne M. Keller for filling the position with someone from the home team.