The state legislature passed Senate Bill 7, sponsored by Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson which requires the Alaska Department of Public Safety to publish current policies and procedures related to the conduct of peace officers employed or regulated by the Department. It’s part of a larger legislative package called Turning Pain Into Progress that stems from the national 8 Can’t Wait initiative, which looks at how eight use of force policies to cut down police violence are used.
Rep. Harriet Drummond (Anchorage) told the House floor:
“Senate Bill 7 would require that the Department of Public Safety publish the department’s current policies and procedures related to the conduct of peace officers employed by the department and village public safety officers. Although the department is currently publishing this information on their website, new leadership could determine that this information no longer be provided. Having a requirement in state statute provides perpetuity and is simply good public policy. SB 7 also restricts publication of confidential techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions and any guidelines that would risk circumvention of the law. This bill was drafted to provide public safety changes that would benefit both the citizens of Alaska and our law enforcement officers.”
- SB 1 – Banning the use of chokeholds;
- SB 2 – Requires de-escalation procedures and provides a duty to intervene by officers that observe other officers violating practice standards;
- SB 3 – Requiring a peace officer to exhaust all possible alternatives and provide an oral warning before discharging a firearm;
- SB 4 – Banning shooting at moving vehicles;
- SB 46 – Requiring comprehensive reporting by officers each time they use or threaten to use force, establishes a “use of force database” for the Department of Public Safety, Department of Corrections, municipal officers, and municipal correctional officers, and requires those agencies to search the database before employing a new peace officer.
Senate Bill 7 passed the House of Representatives on a 29-9 vote and unanimously passed the Senate on March 8, 2022. The legislation now heads to Gov. Mike Dunleavy for his signature.
Transcribed audio courtesy of KTOO 360TV.