Police staff growth pushed

Borough mayor urges second look at failed measure

December 18, 2005

DARRELL L. BREESE/Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - Mat-Su Mayor Tim Anderson has called for a special meeting of the borough assembly Jan. 17, to discuss implementation of police powers.

The plan for establishing a borough police force stems from a report completed by the mayor's task force on police powers in January, which concluded that the borough should adopt police powers and contract with the Alaska State Troopers for the provision of additional police services.

An areawide vote of the people is required before the borough can adopt police powers.

Anderson attempted to get the question on the ballot for the Oct. 4 election but the assembly voted 4-3 against the ordinance during a June 21 meeting.

Anderson wants to restart the discussion that the task force indicated was needed.

&#8220This is an important issue and we need to address it,” Anderson told the assembly during its Dec. 6 meeting, when he called for a special meeting in January.

There is a growing need for police in the Palmer-Wasilla core area, outside the areas patrolled by the Palmer and Wasilla police departments, the task force found.

A five-year analysis of borough crime statistics indicate there has been a consistent increase in reported cases of assault, burglary, larceny, vehicle theft, homicide and cases involving domestic violence.

A survey conducted by the task force revealed that 27 percent of residents who responded preferred contracting with the troopers for policing over creating a borough sheriff or police department, an idea supported by 23 percent of those who took the survey. Seventeen percent of respondents supported contracting with the Palmer or Wasilla police, meaning 68 percent of those who responded to the survey supported some form of borough police powers.

Trooper officials said trooper staffing has not increased in the borough in proportion with its current explosive population growth.

The assembly voted down the proposal in June because it lacked the specifics of funding and what will constitute a police force.

&#8220I'm not comfortable asking the voters to approve something that would have a major impact on their property taxes without a full disclosure of what it will cost,” assembly member Bill Allen said in June. &#8220The people have a right to the financial particulars before we can ask them to create a police force.”

Walter Gilmour, former director of the Alaska State Troopers, estimated that approximately 31 additional officers are needed in the borough. In a report provided to the assembly, he stated that the troopers estimate it will cost more than $170,000 annually, per officer, in salary, benefits and other work-related expenses for each new officer. For the 31 officers needed, it would cost the borough $5.6 million a year.

Additionally, the borough would need to purchase the infrastructure necessary for the operation of the police force, which would include buildings for station and substations, jails, dispatch services and vehicles. The city of Wasilla has budgeted $105,000 for the purchase of three new police cruisers in its 2006 fiscal year capital budget, or $35,000 per car.

&#8220I don't think any of us (the assembly) questioned the need for additional policing in areas of the borough,” Assemblyman Jim Colver said. &#8220The number of burglaries has almost doubled, and most of them that occur outside the city of Palmer and Wasilla jurisdictions are going uninvestigated by the state troopers. Violent crime is increasing, and the number meth drug labs continues to be a problem.

&#8220The big question was that if voters granted the borough police powers, how were we going to pay for it.” Colver added.

Mayor Anderson initially drafted the ordinance and specifically left the question of funding to be answered by voters during the 2006 election, if they approved the powers in the 2005 election.

Since the question of adopting police powers never made it to the ballot, he wants to bring the discussion back to the table in the work session with the goal of having something to present to voters in the 2006 election.

One of the possible sources of funding, which was hinted at during the June assembly discussion, is the creation of police service areas, similar to the current road and fire service areas in the borough.

Community councils representing the Meadow Lakes, South Lakes and Lazy Mountain areas have expressed a desire for additional patrols and policing. Under the service-area structure, communities wanting police service would be the only property owners paying for the service.

Colver indicated following the June meeting the he believed the issue would resurface.

&#8220We need to have a plan. Those of us who want it need to get together and develop some sort of plan about policing before we move forward,” Colver said. &#8220We have a responsibility to take leadership on the issue, before bringing it to the voters.”

Now Mayor Anderson and the supporters of adopting police powers on the assembly are ready to present their plan to the body for consideration.

The meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. Jan. 17 in assembly chambers at the borough administration building.

Contact Darrell L. Breese at

352-2267 or darrell.breese@

frontiersman.com.