In a release on September 4, the Alaska Department of Public Safety announced that Alaska’s Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting Statute has taken effect. It requires that all reports of sexual abuse of minors be made to both the Alaska Office of Children’s Services and the nearest law enforcement agency.
The intent of this law is to further ensure that both law enforcement and the Office of Children’s Services are made aware of sexual abuse allegations when an incident occurs. All Alaska State Troopers and Alaska Wildlife Troopers will receive training, through the Office of Children’s Services, regarding the mandatory reporting.
To provide mandated reporters with concrete guidance about which law enforcement agency to report sexual abuse to, Troopers worked with OCS and the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to develop an online mapping tool. This tool directs mandated reporters to the nearest and appropriate law enforcement agency and provides contact information. In many instances, the nearest agency will be Alaska State Troopers.
The online mapping tool, as well as additional information on when, how, and what to report can be found online.