July 12, 2022 Message from the Chief

Message from the Chief,

I want to personally address the community to provide some clarity regarding our internal standards of conduct and ensure that it is clear to Anchorage citizens what the expectation of APD employees are and how we interact with our community.

As law enforcement professionals, we are held accountable for our actions, and I am aware that the action of one officer can impact the trust between the police force and our community. I know we are all human. But we belong to a profession that does not tolerate, practice, condone, facilitate, or collaborate with any form of discrimination. This profession requires our employees to treat everyone with respect and be culturally aware and competent.

Our mission is to protect and serve our community in the most professional and compassionate manner possible. Our vision is to create an environment where everyone matters. As the Chief of Police, I take these two statements to heart. We must work hard to foster a healthy relationship with the community and work even harder to maintain that relationship. We will continue to work diligently to maintain a positive relationship with our community. That relationship is earned by the hard-working people, who show up every day and embody our mission and vision.

I am grateful to serve a community that shows our police department overwhelming support and I don’t take this support lightly.

Very Respectfully,

Chief Michael Kerle