New Commission Seeks to Reimagine Public Safety
Amid rising concerns and police shootings, Anchorage’s new task force begins work to reimagine public safety with community input.After a year marked by a troubling rise in police shootings, 13 since May 2024, eight of them fatal, including a 16-year-old girl, Anchorage is confronting mounting pressure to reimagine public safety. These incidents have left many residents unsettled, particularly in underrepresented communities where distrust in law enforcement has long simmered. “We know that even though crime statistics are generally trending down, which is good, people still feel unsafe,” said Assembly Member Anna Brawley, who represents West Anchorage, in an interview with SDMN.
On August 5, the city’s newly formed Task Force to Reimagine the Public Safety Advisory Commission held its first community workshop at the Spenard Recreation Center, marking the beginning of a month-long effort to define a new, community-led vision of public safety in Anchorage. The meeting, which is part of a broader campaign of listening and inclusion, invited residents to share what safety means to them and to propose ideas for meaningful change. “We will continue to focus on how this new commission can address how people feel, the toughest thing to quantify, but at the heart of what we’re talking about.” According to Brawley, previous attempts had become ineffective and largely inactive. “Past versions of this commission started out with good intent, then ended up not being an effective forum for discussing the safety issues important to the public,” Brawley said. The new task force aims to fix that by grounding the commission’s work in diverse lived experiences, increased accountability, and better communication between the community and local institutions. One concern raised frequently in recent weeks, especially within Anchorage’s Latino community, is the presence of masked officers and unmarked police vehicles. “It’s certainly a frightening time for many,” Brawley acknowledged. “Local police (APD) do not have a formal role with immigration enforcement, but we know this situation has damaged trust with law enforcement overall, and makes many in our community feel unsafe and under threat,” she added. “But this is also a great example of the kind of timely safety issue that should be brought to a community-led commission, as a forum for dialogue, sharing information, and building trust.” The task force is gathering feedback through a public form and will continue hosting meetings that are open to all. “We will continue to assess who is participating, and who isn’t already at the table, and take steps to reach out,” Brawley said. That could include additional interviews, events in partnership with community organizations, or additional sessions to expand accessibility. All Anchorage residents are invited to participate. “Just show up,” she encouraged. She also added “You don’t need to have “the right answer” to participate, just bring yourself, an open mind, and willingness to be involved!” |