Here’s a sight you won’t see after Sept. 30: An Alaska State Trooper picks up mail at the Girdwood Post Office on a sunny day.
By Marc Donadieu
Glacier City Gazette
In a dramatic shift, Girdwood Board of Supervisors requested a policing proposal from Alaska State Troopers and was turned down just two days later.
The rejection represents the most recent turn in an event chain tracing to the August GBOS meeting during which none of the five supervisors motioned to consider requesting AST for a policing proposal.
The lack of motion led to an Aug. 30 meeting at Alyeska Resort involving Supervisors Sam Daniel and Eryn Boone; John Byrne, President, Managing Partner Alyeska Ski Resort, LLC (via teleconference); and Vice President & General Counsel Alyeska Resort Randall Call. The results of the Aug. 30 meeting led Daniel to call a special Sept. 7 GBOS meeting.
The only item on that special meeting’s agenda was to consider whether or not to request of a policing proposal from AST. After extensive discussion between supervisors and community members, a motion to request AST policing proposal and receive it within one week passed by 3-1 vote. Tommy O’Malley voted against the motion and Robert Snitzer was excused because he was working.
On the afternoon of Sept. 8, Col. James Cockrell, Director AST, issued an email stating that troopers would not write a contract proposal for policing Girdwood. Cockrell explained the reason for the decision.
“At this time,” Cockrell wrote,“AST is in the process of moving positions to better meet our overall mission, in particular the Kenai Peninsula. After October 1, 2016, AST will no longer have an office in Girdwood. Until a time Girdwood signs a contract with the Whittier Police Department, AST will respond to Girdwood and the surrounding areas from our Seward/Cooper Landing offices. AST will continue to provide three Bureau of Highway Patrol troopers dedicated to enhancing safety on the Seward Highway.”
Daniel spoke with Cockrell before he sent the email saying AST would not submit a proposal. Daniel said Cockrell listened to feedback from the two troopers at the August GBOS meeting, who indicated the community did not seem supportive of troopers policing Girdwood. Due to budget cuts, AST has already started moving Girdwood troopers to other locations.
According to Daniel, GBOS is looking into negotiating an interim contract or memorandum of understanding with Whittier to cover from Oct.1 until a three-year contract is signed. Neither Whittier nor Girdwood wants to rush through a long-term contract to meet the deadline when the trooper post closes.
“One of the things we should at least explore is the possibility of doing something akin to what we did for Forest Fair,” Daniel said. “We would operate on a memorandum of agreement or short-term contract until we’re able to get the long-term contract in place so that there would be at least be some police presence in Girdwood.”
The interim coverage would be reduced from the officers a long-term contract would provide. Whittier is not in a position to hire new officers without a signed contract, and the city’s season has wound down. The idea was first proposed by Whittier City Attorney Holly Wells, said Daniel.
The status of the Whittier contract is listed on the agenda for the Sept. 19 GBOS meeting. It’s likely the evening will feature discussion about an interim contract with Whittier.
Daniel also gave details about trooper coverage of Girdwood after Oct. 1. During the day, AST will respond from Anchorage or Seward. During evenings after 10 p.m., troopers will respond from Seward. Daniel also expressed concerned about response time in an emergency.
He said, “One of the things Col. Cockrell said was that if there is a life-threatening event,something of major importance happening in Girdwood, it would actually cause the troopers to respond, and they would do so. As Public Safety Supervisor and Co-Chair, that is a huge concern because it means that if something happens on the weekends, it can take a very long time for law enforcement to show up.”
A response issued by Alyeska on Sept. 12 expressed disappointment over AST not writing a proposal. There was also concern over the resort’s operating plan without a clear policing solution in place.
Alyeska stated four main points regarding the Whittier proposal: financial accountability, certification standards, officer experience and assurance AST will not charge for investigations or use of 911 emergency services.
The response also stated, “Due to the current lack of clarity regarding public safety in Girdwood, Alyeska Resort is being forced to reevaluate its business operating plan for the coming year. Not having a public safety partner creates an increasingly difficult situation with respect to our year round operating model. It is critical that clarity with respect to public safety be found as soon as possible.”