Anchorage Assembly to APD: Publish recordings of recent police shootings and revise body camera policy

Protestors successful nan assemblage of nan Anchorage Assembly gathering connected July 16, 2024 astatine nan Loussac Library clasp up branded signs of nan Party for Socialism and Liberation. The signs support a solution urging nan constabulary section to make its assemblage camera policies much transparent. (Matt Faubion/Alaska Public Media)

The Anchorage Police Department published a draught of a caller assemblage camera policy connected Friday. And Tuesday night, nan Anchorage Assembly already had notes.

In a resolution nan Assembly passed successful a 9-1 vote, it asks nan section for 4 things. 

First, to springiness assemblage camera footage and different recordings related to nan constabulary sidesplitting of Kristopher Handy connected May 13 to his family. Police initially said Handy pointed a weapon astatine officers, though backstage information footage appears to contradict that claim. 

Handy’s sidesplitting was nan first successful a drawstring of 3 group Anchorage constabulary killed crossed 5 caller shootings. 

Second, nan solution besides asks nan constabulary to people recordings of each “recent captious incidents” wrong 30 days. 

Third, nan Assembly wants nan section to reappraisal a associated proposal by nan Alaska Black Caucus, nan NAACP Anchorage and nan Northern Justice Project, nan policies of nan Los Angeles Police Department and nan American Civil Liberties Union’s exemplary act,

Finally, if nan section denies a petition to merchandise assemblage camera recordings, nan Assembly wants a caller nationalist assemblage to grip appeals, and to dainty denials for illustration different denials nether the city’s nationalist records code. Assembly Vice Chair Meg Zaletel said that’s important because it comes pinch much appeals processes and clear timelines. 

“I deliberation nan revised argumentation is overmuch amended than nan erstwhile policy,” she said. “I still deliberation that there’s room for improvement.”

The Assembly and constabulary person a activity convention scheduled for Friday to spell complete nan department’s draught policy. Chief Sean Case said he’s looking guardant to it. 

“The intent is, if location are immoderate modifications, to make those and person nan argumentation spell into effect Monday,” he said. “Less than a week. Time to move.” 

Zaletel said she’s optimistic nan section will return nan guidance to heart. 

Assembly personnel Zac Johnson, a erstwhile authorities trooper, was nan lone nary vote. 

“We talk astir transparency and accountability, but I deliberation that sometimes, location tin beryllium immoderate hostility betwixt these,” he said. “We tin opportunity that nan sooner we get nan footage retired location disposable to nan public, like, yes, that does favour transparency. But I deliberation that tin travel astatine a costs to accountability.”

He explained that erstwhile nan constabulary termination someone, nan investigation is treated arsenic a imaginable murder. And investigators mostly don’t stock grounds successful murders earlier they’re prosecuted, because it tin negatively effect nan process. 

Johnson said location needs to beryllium a balance, and didn’t want to ballot connected nan solution up of nan activity convention connected Friday.