Incoming Mayor LaFrance changes out Anchorage police chiefs

Deputy Chief Sean Case astatine his agency astatine nan Anchorage Police Department’s downtown office successful 2022. (Lex Treinen/Alaska Public Media)

Incoming Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance will not clasp Anchorage Police Chief Bianca Cross.

Instead, LaFrance’s squad announced Tuesday that existent Deputy Chief Sean Case will return complete nether her management opening July 1. 

“With nan important nationalist information challenges Anchorage is facing correct now, we request a constabulary main pinch extended APD activity experience,” LaFrance said successful a statement. “Deputy Chief Case not only brings that experience, but besides heavy knowing of policing policies that will make each Anchorage residents safer.”

Their resumes and profession trajectories person parallels, though Cross is really nan much knowledgeable of nan 2 successful rule enforcement pinch 26 years; Case has 23. However, Case had served arsenic a skipper for six years earlier becoming lawman main successful 2022. Cross had been a skipper of APD’s detective section for little than a twelvemonth erstwhile Mayor Dave Bronson picked her to beryllium constabulary main successful April. Cross was nan first woman to clasp nan occupation successful nan city’s history.

Bianca Cross talks pinch reporters astir becoming nan caller main of nan Anchorage Police Department successful April. Then-Chief Michael Kerle, left, retired astatine nan extremity of nan month. (Wesley Early/Alaska Public Media)

LaFrance said she met pinch Cross respective times for nan transition. She expressed gratitude for Cross’s years of exemplary constabulary work. Transition squad spokesperson Ira Slomski-Pritz said he did not instantly cognize if Cross would proceed to person a domiciled astatine nan constabulary section aft nan modulation aliases not. 

Cross, done a constabulary spokesperson, declined an question and reply request. 

In her statement, LaFrance said her squad had a batch of activity to do from restaffing nan constabulary section “to addressing convulsive crime and deepening organization trust.” 

“That activity includes a work to found overmuch deeper partnerships pinch nan BIPOC community, to listen, and to return actions that show a committedness to safety, healing, and justice,” she said.

LaFrance’s connection highlights Case’s activity astatine APD connected criminal and intelligence wellness diversion programs, starting a squad that pairs societal workers and constabulary officers together to respond to residents successful intelligence wellness crises, and recruitment and retention efforts. 

Cross was Bronson’s past salient appointment. She replaced Michael Kerle, who retired. 

The Assembly put off confirming Cross arsenic chief, saying they wanted to hold until LaFrance took office. 

Cross has faced disapproval during her short tenure for her handling of 4 constabulary shootings that near astatine slightest two group dead. She said she would not merchandise assemblage camera footage of nan shootings until aft investigations are complete, contempt demands from family.

This is simply a processing story, cheque backmost for updates.