Anchorage’s new police chief, Michael Kerle, said he’s focused on continuing to foster the city’s decline in violent crimes. Plus, he hopes to combat what he called a “national narrative” negatively portraying police.
Kerle described his top priorities on Monday during a news conference with reporters, just under a week into his new job leading Alaska’s largest police department.
“Police officers are being killed at an alarming rate in the Lower 48,” Kerle said. “Violent crime is out of control in many cities in the Lower 48. And that goes along with the national narrative that the police are the enemy. We’re not the enemy. We’re here to protect and serve. But somehow police are being vilified nationally, and it’s a bad image.”
A January report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund shows that more than 450 officers died in the line of duty last year. It’s a record high, with most deaths attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data compiled by the national police reform initiative Campaign Zero shows that during the same time period, more than 1,100 people in the United States were killed by police.
READ MORE: On first day as Anchorage’s new police chief, Kerle highlights drop in violent crimes
Kerle has worked at the Anchorage Police Department since 1996. He was promoted from deputy chief to chief after Ken McCoy abruptly retired from the job. Like many, Kerle said he was surprised by McCoy’s retirement, and had planned on retiring as well after 25 years with the department before he was asked to take over.
McCoy was Anchorage’s first Black police chief, and one of his main goals was improving community outreach and trust. Kerle said he plans on continuing that work.
“I’m here to expand upon all the efforts that Ken made,” he said. “Ken made great strides in improving community relations. I want to take that one step further. I want to show them that the Anchorage Police Department is here. We want solid community relations because crime is a community problem. We can’t do it alone.”
Kerle said he doesn’t know if there were any disagreements between McCoy and Mayor Dave Bronson that led to McCoy leaving. Kerle said he’s been assured that he’ll be able to operate as chief without interference from the mayor or the Assembly.
Among the new initiatives the police department is working on is the implementation of body-worn cameras for officers. The current proposal from the department has drawn criticism that it’s unclear how that camera footage could be made available to the public. Kerle said there are legal and civil liabilities that the department is working to avoid in releasing the footage. While Kerle doesn’t have an exact date for when the cameras will be implemented, he said he’s excited for them.
“It’s a tool to protect officers from files of false accusations against them, and it makes sure that we’re held accountable too,” he said. “So it’s beneficial for both of us.”
The Anchorage Police Department and the Assembly will hold a meeting on Feb. 18 to discuss the body-worn camera policy.
[Sign up for Alaska Public Media’s daily newsletter to get our top stories delivered to your inbox.]
Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.
