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Welcome! Thank you for coming!

Welcome! Thank you for coming!. Girdwood Public Safety Town Hall Meeting Special thanks to our guests, for taking their time and providing their expertise. Thank you to the Girdwood K-8 School, for making this facility available to us and to Little Bears Playhouse, for providing child care.

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Welcome! Thank you for coming!

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  1. Welcome! Thank you for coming! Girdwood Public Safety Town Hall Meeting Special thanks to our guests, for taking their time and providing their expertise. Thank you to the Girdwood K-8 School, for making this facility available to us and to Little Bears Playhouse, for providing child care.

  2. History of Public Safety Concern February 23, 2015: Alaska State Troopers (AST) letter to Anchorage Police Department (APD) Effective Jan 1, 2016, Troopers discontinue police service to Girdwood and surrounding communities within the Municipality of Anchorage. March 16, 2015: Girdwood Board of Supervisors (GBOS) meets for the first time about the closure with AST, APD and the Sullivan Administration to discuss this notice of terminated service. April, 2015: GBOS creates Public Safety Task Force Volunteer Task Force. May, 2015: Ethan Berkowitz is elected Mayor of Municipality of Anchorage. June, 2015: Public Safety Task Force begins to work with Berkowitz Administration. September 17, 2015: Anchorage Police Department Employee Association informs Task force that they will not object to service provided by non-APD provider. October 21, 2015: AST announces it will delay the closure of the Girdwood post until June 30, 2016.

  3. Girdwood Public Safety Task Force The Task Force Mission: Research all possible options for public safety in Girdwood and make a recommendation of the best option for voters of Girdwood to consider. Lou Theiss, Bill Chadwick, Mike Opalka, Kevin Opalka, Laura Bowen, Mandy Hawes are core group of Task Force Volunteers. Tommy O’Malley and Sam Daniel are co-chairs of the Task Force. Volunteer group has dedicated hours to researching various options. May 12, 2015 : Task force public meeting June 9, 2015: Task force public meeting June 22, 2015: Task force public meeting August 26, 2015: Task force public meeting September 17, 2015: Task force public meeting November 11, 2015: Task Force public meeting November 21, 2015: Town Hall meeting about policing option for Girdwood

  4. Current Status of Law Enforcement in Girdwood Alaska State Troopers are committed to maintain current law enforcement thru June 30, 2016. On July 1, 2016, the Girdwood Post is scheduled to close.

  5. After AST Post Closure Alaska State Troopers after post closure: Law enforcement services to neighborhoods of Rainbow, Bird Creek, Indian, Girdwood, Crow Creek and Portage will no longer be provided by AST. Trooper service on Seward Highway from South Anchorage to Portage is expected to be reduced from current staffing of 5 troopers, to 3 troopers dedicated to traffic enforcement on the Seward Highway corridor.

  6. After AST Post Closure Anchorage Police Department after post closure: If Girdwood is not part of the Anchorage Police Service Area, service can be extended out of the boundary of the service area as follows, per 27.10.015: Extension of service beyond boundary of service area. If any governmental service, or different level of such service, is funded through one or more service areas, the boundaries of which do not encompass the entire municipality, the municipality shall not be authorized to extend such services beyond the boundaries of the service area except as provided in AS 29.35.020 or as a response to a public emergency. Any such extension of services in response to a public emergency is a discretionary function of the municipality and shall be deemed to be a gratuitous extension of services on an extraterritorial basis.

  7. What is a Public Emergency?

  8. What does Girdwood Need?

  9. Broad Generalizations General consensus: Girdwood is relatively safe community. Seward Highway is a large concern. State of AK should be responsible for finding a way to fairly spread cost of enforcement among users of the highway.

  10. AST Call volume for the Girdwood PostCitations

  11. Data from AST: Incidents pg 1

  12. Data from AST: Incidents pg 2

  13. Times are changing State fiscal budget and AST budget will be cutagain in 2016, impacting more rural communities in the coming year. Girdwood is in a unique position to manage how to handle this, as we have the ability to tax ourselves to provide service, if approved by voters.

  14. What you currently pay in taxes Girdwood property owners pay 10.78 mills: 6.84 mills Anchorage School District4.08 mills Parks, Rec, Fire Service 1.90 Roads 1.65 Fire Service (also subsidized by AFD) .53 Parks and Rec ( - .14 mills) rebate on unused services 10.78 mills Total The highest mill rate in Anchorage is 15.08. Girdwood pays the 2nd lowest taxes in the Municipality of Anchorage. Bird, Indian, Crow Creek pay less than Girdwood (no road service, etc)

  15. Variety of Options ResearchedApril – November 2015 Girdwood Police Force This may be considered in the long term, not viable to create immediately, likely several year lead time to create. Limited APD Service Not viable as APD cannot legally provide different tiers of service within the Municipality of Anchorage. Private Security Similar to security hired by Alyeska Resort or hired during Forest Fair. Not viable as they have no authority to hold suspects and no way to turn over suspects without police service from authorized law enforcement entity. Hiring for specific high-volume events, such as New Years, Spring Carnival, Forest Fair and busy winter weekends. Not viable as authorized law enforcement entity would be needed, and none have staff to spare for hire as these are peak volume for all. Adding Security to Girdwood Fire Department Public Safety RoleNot viable as this is not the function of the GVFD. Village Police Safety Officer (VPSO), Constable, Sherriff VPSO and other small enforcement options require support from Alaska State Troopers. 5 Big Dudes in a Truck Exposes individuals to significant liability.

  16. What does public safety cost other communities in Alaska? Cost of enforcement: Kenai is about $400 per person/year (7452 pop/$2,980,223) Homer is about $650 per person/year(5310 pop/$3,459,657) Cordova is about $348 per person/year (2239 pop/$779,702) Seward is about $700 per person/year(2693 pop/$1,859,692) Compared similarly*, Girdwood’s current options are: $0 for No service $307 per person/year for Whittier Police (2000 pop/$615,000) $750 per person/year for Troopers & APD (2000 pop/$1,500,000) *This data is based on payment per person, not on taxable property

  17. Girdwood Public Safety Options

  18. Anchorage Police Department (APD) Service Area Model • Scope of Model: • Traditional Urban policing model • Enforce Municipal and state laws • Patrol Girdwood • Patrol Seward Highway to Girdwood • Staffing: • 3 officers 3 shifts per day in Girdwood • Possible substation in Girdwood • Hours/Times of coverage: • 24 hours/7 days week/365 days/yr • How to enact this service: • Requires a majority yes vote of both Girdwood voters and the voters of the current police service area

  19. Town Hall Meeting & APD • At the Town Hall Meeting, no one opted for pursuing APD to provide public safety service on the April Ballot.

  20. Pros: APD would enforce Municipal ordinances. Professional enforcement. Seward Highway enforcement. Same service as that available in the rest of the MOA. Cons: Unlikely to pass both within current MOA service area and in Girdwood. Anchorage could vote down even if Girdwood approves. Most expensive option. APD Service model and Girdwood’s needs don’t match. Pros and cons of APD

  21. Alaska State Troopers (AST) Service Model • Scope of Model: • Rural policing model, similar to current service • Would enforce only state laws • Primarily patrols the Seward highway from bottom of Turnagain Pass to McHugh Creek • Provides police services to communities along the Seward Highway and Crow Creek Road • Staffing: • 4 troopers, 1 sergeant and 1 admin • Hours/Times of coverage: • Office in Girdwood • Primary patrols during Day and Swing shift, random late patrols during events/weekend • On call for late night events • How to enact this service: • Requires creating a new police service area and board made up of Girdwood, Portage, Indian, Bird and Rainbow • 5 year grant to the troopers with automatic renewal unless the troopers or Police board objects

  22. Town Hall Meeting and AST • At the Town Hall Meeting, approximately 20 people supported pursuing AST to provide public safety service on the April Ballot.

  23. Pros: Structure in place to handle enforcement in Girdwood. Existing working relationship with the community. Seward Highway enforcement. Inclusion of Bird, Indian, Crow Creek, Portage communities. Right size model for Girdwood’s needs. Cons: Cost is too high. Unreasonable for Girdwood to pay for the Seward Highway enforcement. Concern that legislature may cut budget further if Turnagain Arm Public Safety Area funds it partially. Pros and Cons of AST

  24. Whittier Police Department Service Model • Scope of Model: • Rural policing model • Enforce state laws • Policing only Girdwood Service area • Provides Seward Highway enforcement Portage to Girdwood. • Staffing: • 2 officers dedicated to Girdwood • Scheduled time in Girdwood approx 12 hours/day. • Off-hours enforcement and/or backup enforcement on 24 hour basis • Hours/Times of coverage: • 12 hours/day based out of Girdwood • Primary patrols Day and Swing shift • Random late night patrols during events/weekend • On call for special events • Office in Whittier • How to enact this service: • Requires vote to allow GBOS to tax for Police services • Direct service contract managed by GBOS as part of Girdwood Service Area • Recommend creation of Policing Committee to oversee the contract and make recommendations to GBOS.

  25. Town Hall Meeting and WPD At the Town Hall Meeting, the overwhelming majority of those in attendance (100+ people) opted for pursuing Whittier Police Department to provide public safety service on the April Ballot.

  26. Pros: Live in Girdwood, interest in community involvement. Lowest cost. Local control by Board. Systems already in place (dispatch, investigations, etc). 3 year commitment. Cons 911 dispatch issue. Only addresses Girdwood, no other communities, not the Seward Highway. Lack of experienced workforce. Weather Tunnel could present delay. Pros and Cons of WPD

  27. No Police Service Model • Scope of Model: • No funding = No Service • No response or investigation • No policing of the community • No crime investigation • No traffic enforcement (i.e. DUI, speed, etc.) • No response unless deemed a “public emergency” by either APD or AST • Staffing: • No officers • Hours/Times of coverage: • None • Could restrict Girdwood Volunteer Fire Department response to events as they cannot respond until scene is declared clear and safe by public safety authority. • How to enact this level of service: • Voters vote no on proposed policing option in April election

  28. Town Hall Meeting and No Service At the Town Hall Meeting, approximately 5 people opted for no service.

  29. Pros: No cost Seward Highway enforcement remains responsibility of the state to figure out. Opportunity to test legality of no-service loophole. Opportunity for all communities and stakeholders in the Seward Highway to band together to lobby legislature. Cons: Safety for Girdwood EMS providers. Possible increased homeowner insurance costs. Vulnerability and perception that the area as being “sitting ducks”. Possible lower property values. Pros and Cons of No Service

  30. What’s next… Consider the options Attend GBOS meeting December 14 at 7PM GBOS will discuss what to put on the April General Election Ballot. Stay informed. More information will develop and we will post on www.muni.org/gbos Vote April 5, 2016!

  31. More info? Documents are on line at www.muni.org/gbos Call the GBOS office at 343-8374

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