Despite a reported $30 million budget deficit for the city of Anchorage, Alaska, the APD says it will make drastic changes outlined in an independent report to defend against another Anthony Rollins.
Earlier this month, personal injury lawsuits against the municipality settled with Rollins’ victims for $5.5 million. Rollins was convicted last year for sexually assaulting five women while on duty and in uniform. He was sentenced to 87 years in prison – effectively, the rest of his life.
Consultants for the International Association of Chiefs of Police have now released their independent report and recommendations to prevent such a horrific incident again. They created a 10-point plan, called “Mitigating Sexual Misconduct,” which the Anchorage Police Department reportedly supports in full.
“There’s nothing in the recommendations we don’t agree with,” said Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew. “Many of the things they suggest we’re actually sort of doing but we’re doing them informally, in an ad hoc way.”
“Regardless of what the funding is for the police department, these are things that need to and will have to be put into place,” said Assembly Chair Ernie Hall.
The plan includes better, clearer surveillance cameras for inside police vehicles and police stations, better supervision of officers which includes creating more supervisory sergeant positions, better tracking of complaints to catch misconduct more quickly, and new protocols to ensure the mental health of recruits before they are hired as fully-fledged officers.
The ADP, according to the report, has “recognized and internalized” the threat to public trust in the wake of the Rollins case, “aggressively embraced a commitment to mitigate future acts of sexual misconduct,” and “planned, initiated and reinforced a portfolio of policies and practices” to help prevent or catch gross misconduct.
“Zero Tolerance is a more powerful declaration of intent,” IACP officials wrote.
If you or a loved one has suffered emotional or physical harm at the hands of an individual, whether a police officer or civilian, you may have a personal injury case. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm offer free, confidential consultations, so contact us today to discuss the facts of your case. 803.252.4800.
