Mounting Concerns Over Downtown Anchorage Safety
Business owners and residents in downtown Anchorage report a surge in crime and public disturbances, fueling tension between local stakeholders and city officials. Property owner Kelly Kass described a recent incident where an Airbnb guest at his East Seventh Avenue rental had to pull a firearm to fend off an intruder. Kass has spent thousands on reinforced hinges, new locks, and surveillance systems to secure his building after a double homicide occurred on his property last year.
These concerns were voiced during a Downtown Community Council meeting last Wednesday. Attendees, including business owners like Kim Verreydt, cited persistent issues including open drinking, loitering, and property damage. Verreydt reported that a suspect recently turned off power to her massage business on Cordova Street from an outdoor switch. She also noted a separate incident where a person used a tiki torch to snatch a purse through a window, leading to unauthorized credit card charges.
Official Response and Resource Limitations
Thea Agnew Bemben, a special assistant to Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, attended the meeting alongside Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case to address these grievances. Agnew Bemben stated that the administration is aware of the scope of the problem. While recent Assembly code changes now allow police to break up camps or arrest individuals for low-level offenses like public intoxication or menacing behavior, the city remains short on capacity. Anchorage currently operates 300 year-round shelter beds, but estimates indicate a need for at least 450 to 500 beds.
Agnew Bemben emphasized that the city is actively working on two new crisis stabilization centers and an intensive case management facility near the Quyana Clubhouse. Still, she admitted the scale of the challenge exceeds current city resources. When residents like Ben Neumann, who owns multiple hospitality businesses, called for the use of involuntary detention to address mental health crises, Agnew Bemben noted that Alaska’s constitutional privacy protections present significant legal barriers to such measures.
Law Enforcement Adjustments and Future Outlook
Police Chief Sean Case attributed part of the recent rise in downtown incidents to a reduction in overtime-funded foot patrols, which were deployed earlier this year using hotel bed tax revenue. The return of school resource officers to classrooms has also shifted the deployment of some bike patrol units. However, Case expects more officers to transition to overtime duty as the winter season approaches. A new class of police recruits is also scheduled to graduate this fall, which should boost the total number of personnel available for patrol.
Looking ahead, the Anchorage Police Department plans to implement a pre-arrest diversion program on September 23. This initiative aims to connect individuals facing misdemeanor charges for drug possession or disorderly conduct with treatment services rather than jail. Despite these upcoming changes, frustration among downtown business owners remains high. As the city begins the budget planning process on October 2, community groups like the Third Avenue Radicals continue to push for more direct intervention and improved reporting tools for illegal camping and public disturbances.