Police Academy

by Channel 2 News staff Friday, May 21, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- In a poll conducted by Channel 2 News, respondents were asked if the Anchorage Assembly should override Mayor Dan Sullivan's veto of next year's police academy. Here is the official question and results of the 299 people who voted. Should the Anchorage Assembly override Mayor Dan Sullivan's veto of next year's police academy? No 51 % Yes 49 % All polls conducted by Channel 2 News and KTUU.

Tuesday night the Anchorage Assembly unanimously approved $380,000 toward starting a police academy in the fall of 2011. While the money won't completely cover the cost of an academy, it will begin the process of preparing for an academy of 28 officers. The money will go toward various indirect costs of an academy, including psychological testing services, ammunition costs and recruitment advertising costs. The money comes from re-routing money granted to the municipality by the federal government, as a result of joint Drug Enforcement Agency and Anchorage Police Department operations.

by Jason Lamb Tuesday, May 4, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Mayor Dan Sullivan issued a veto Tuesday for the police department budget, and the clock is now ticking for the Anchorage Assembly if it wants to override it. The police department was slated to receive an additional $200,000 for preparations for a 2011 police academy. The mayor has seven days to issue vetoes on any Assembly ordinance, and Sullivan came down to the wire, sending out the veto 11 minutes before his 5 p.m. deadline Tuesday.

by Jason Lamb Friday, May 21, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Anchorage Assembly member and former police officer Paul Honeman is trying to convince his colleagues to override Mayor Dan Sullivan's veto of $200,000 to prepare for a 2011 police academy. But the big question is: can he get the votes before the override deadline on Tuesday? It may be a tough task for Honeman, with only six votes among the Assembly's 11 members to approve the money a few weeks ago -- and eight needed to override the mayor.

by Jason Lamb Tuesday, April 27, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Anchorage Assembly made final adjustments to the city's spending plan for the year Tuesday night. The changes up for debate included bus service on some holidays and money to plan for police and fire academies. Those hoping for more public transportation dollars came out on top, but it was a wash for those hoping for more money to prepare for police and fire academies in 2011. The Anchorage Assembly debated adding $200,000 each for preparations for 2011 fire and police academies.

Interview by Mike Ross and Megan Baldino Thursday, June 3, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew was at Thursday's Assembly committee meeting to address public safety concerns. He spoke with Channel 2 about his discussions with Assembly members. Channel 2 News: Let me ask you a question here, Chief Mew. Two shootings outside just this past week, one in a public park where a lot of people were, one earlier this year, a shooting inside a mall -- clearly, some on the Assembly have some concerns about public safety.

A new batch of Anchorage Police Department recruits arrived for the first day of the 2011 academy, Monday morning. Among their ranks are a former bus driver, a retired FBI agent and an experienced law enforcement officer trying to escape a troubled economy in the Lower 48. “It's something I've wanted to do since I was a little kid, I mean literally, it was my dream,” said Gary Curtis, a recruit who grew up in Anchorage. “It's a great career and we need you, quite frankly,” said Mayor Dan Sullivan in his welcoming remarks to the recruits.

by Jason Lamb Tuesday, May 25, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Time has run out for the Anchorage Assembly to override Mayor Dan Sullivan's veto of preparation money for a 2011 police academy. The Assembly had three weeks to overturn Sullivan's veto of $200,000 in this year's budget, but there was no override vote at Tuesday's meeting. Assembly member and former police officer Paul Honeman tried to encourage at least two other Assembly members to change their original votes to get the eight-vote total that was needed.

Smokers in Anchorage can expect to shell out 75 cents more for a pack in 2011.  Money from the tobacco tax will be filtered back into the community, and it's also an effort to cut down on the number of smokers.  Anchorage Assembly Chair Dick Traini says it's expected to raise over 5 million dollars a year.  That money will go toward offsetting property taxes, and into the budgets for the Anchorage Fire Department and 2011 Police Academy.  Traini says it's also an  effort to curtail smoking, especially among anchorage youth.

by Christine Kim Sunday, June 27, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- According to recent statistics overall crime rates in Anchorage rose 8 percent in 2009, and some local lawmakers say residents are not feeling safe. With those concerns in mind, state Sen. Bill Wielechowski, Rep. Pete Petersen and Anchorage Assembly members Paul Honeman and Mike Gutierrez have planned a town hall meeting on public safety for Monday. APD Chief Mark Mew, AFD Battalion Chief Jim Foster and Community Patrol leaders will also attend the event in the East High School commons area from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. After recent crimes and the shootings of two Anchorage police officers this year, some politicians say public safety should be the No. 1 priority in the city's budget.

A new batch of Anchorage Police Department recruits arrived for the first day of the 2011 academy, Monday morning. Among their ranks are a former bus driver, a retired FBI agent and an experienced law enforcement officer trying to escape a troubled economy in the Lower 48. “It's something I've wanted to do since I was a little kid, I mean literally, it was my dream,” said Gary Curtis, a recruit who grew up in Anchorage. “It's a great career and we need you, quite frankly,” said Mayor Dan Sullivan in his welcoming remarks to the recruits.

Smokers in Anchorage can expect to shell out 75 cents more for a pack in 2011.  Money from the tobacco tax will be filtered back into the community, and it's also an effort to cut down on the number of smokers.  Anchorage Assembly Chair Dick Traini says it's expected to raise over 5 million dollars a year.  That money will go toward offsetting property taxes, and into the budgets for the Anchorage Fire Department and 2011 Police Academy.  Traini says it's also an  effort to curtail smoking, especially among anchorage youth.

Smokers in Anchorage can expect to shell out 75 cents more for a pack of cigarettes in 2011.  Money from the tobacco tax, which is also an effort to cut down on the number of smokers, will be filtered back into the community. Anchorage Assembly Chair Dick Traini says the tax is expected to raise over $5 million a year.  That money will go toward offsetting property taxes and into the Anchorage Fire Department's budget, as well as that of the Anchorage Police Department's 2011 police academy -- but Traini says that's not its true purpose.

Tuesday night the Anchorage Assembly unanimously approved $380,000 toward starting a police academy in the fall of 2011. While the money won't completely cover the cost of an academy, it will begin the process of preparing for an academy of 28 officers. The money will go toward various indirect costs of an academy, including psychological testing services, ammunition costs and recruitment advertising costs. The money comes from re-routing money granted to the municipality by the federal government, as a result of joint Drug Enforcement Agency and Anchorage Police Department operations.

by Christine Kim Sunday, June 27, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- According to recent statistics overall crime rates in Anchorage rose 8 percent in 2009, and some local lawmakers say residents are not feeling safe. With those concerns in mind, state Sen. Bill Wielechowski, Rep. Pete Petersen and Anchorage Assembly members Paul Honeman and Mike Gutierrez have planned a town hall meeting on public safety for Monday. APD Chief Mark Mew, AFD Battalion Chief Jim Foster and Community Patrol leaders will also attend the event in the East High School commons area from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. After recent crimes and the shootings of two Anchorage police officers this year, some politicians say public safety should be the No. 1 priority in the city's budget.

by Rebecca Palsha Thursday, June 3, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- With a shooting at Valley of the Moon Park on Sunday and a homicide Wednesday in Mountain View, the city has seen a string of violent crimes in the last few days. But is crime really on the rise, and would more police on the streets make a difference? Even though we've been seeing a lot of crime lately, according to Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew, we're not seeing an increase in crime overall.

Interview by Mike Ross and Megan Baldino Thursday, June 3, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew was at Thursday's Assembly committee meeting to address public safety concerns. He spoke with Channel 2 about his discussions with Assembly members. Channel 2 News: Let me ask you a question here, Chief Mew. Two shootings outside just this past week, one in a public park where a lot of people were, one earlier this year, a shooting inside a mall -- clearly, some on the Assembly have some concerns about public safety.

by Jason Lamb Tuesday, May 25, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Time has run out for the Anchorage Assembly to override Mayor Dan Sullivan's veto of preparation money for a 2011 police academy. The Assembly had three weeks to overturn Sullivan's veto of $200,000 in this year's budget, but there was no override vote at Tuesday's meeting. Assembly member and former police officer Paul Honeman tried to encourage at least two other Assembly members to change their original votes to get the eight-vote total that was needed.

by Jason Lamb Friday, May 21, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Anchorage Assembly member and former police officer Paul Honeman is trying to convince his colleagues to override Mayor Dan Sullivan's veto of $200,000 to prepare for a 2011 police academy. But the big question is: can he get the votes before the override deadline on Tuesday? It may be a tough task for Honeman, with only six votes among the Assembly's 11 members to approve the money a few weeks ago -- and eight needed to override the mayor.

by Channel 2 News staff Friday, May 21, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- In a poll conducted by Channel 2 News, respondents were asked if the Anchorage Assembly should override Mayor Dan Sullivan's veto of next year's police academy. Here is the official question and results of the 299 people who voted. Should the Anchorage Assembly override Mayor Dan Sullivan's veto of next year's police academy? No 51 % Yes 49 % All polls conducted by Channel 2 News and KTUU.