Legislature(2025 - 2026)DAVIS 106
04/29/2025 08:00 AM House TRIBAL AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Alaska Department of Public Safety- Rural Public Safety and Updates on the Passage of Sb 151 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON TRIBAL AFFAIRS
April 29, 2025
8:05 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Maxine Dibert, Chair
Representative Robyn Niayuq Burke
Representative Andi Story
Representative Jubilee Underwood
Representative Elexie Moore
Representative Rebecca Schwanke
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Ashley Carrick
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY- RURAL PUBLIC
SAFETY AND UPDATES ON THE PASSAGE OF SB 151
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
JAMES COCKRELL, Commissioner
Department of Public Safety
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented a PowerPoint, titled "Department
of Public Safety's Commitment to Alaskans."
JAMES HOELSCHER, Director
Village Public Safety Operations Division
Department of Public Safety
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Discussed law enforcement training
concerning missing and murdered Indigenous persons.
LAUREL SHOOP, Legislative Liaison, Special Assistant to the
Commissioner
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Public Safety
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Made brief comments on the presentation.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:05:08 AM
CHAIR DIBERT called the House Special Committee on Tribal
Affairs meeting to order at 8:05 a.m. Representatives Moore,
Schwanke, and Dibert were present at the call to order.
Representatives Underwood, Story and Burke arrived as the
meeting was in progress.
^PRESENTATION: Alaska Department of Public Safety- Rural Public
Safety and Updates on the Passage of SB 151
PRESENTATION: Alaska Department of Public Safety- Rural Public
Safety and Updates on the Passage of SB 151
8:06:03 AM
CHAIR DIBERT announced that the only order of business would be
a presentation by the Department of Public Safety- Rural Public
Safety and updates on Senate Bill 151 [passed during the Thirty-
Third Alaska State Legislature].
8:07:42 AM
JAMES COCKRELL, Commissioner, Department of Public Safety (DPS),
presented a PowerPoint, titled "Department of Public Safety's
Commitment to Rural Alaskans" [hard copy included in the
committee packet]. He expressed pride that DPS has been focused
on improving law enforcement in rural Alaska, and he expressed
appreciation for the support the legislature has given. He
pointed out that the governor has not denied any budget requests
for the department in the last four years. He discussed how the
Alaska State Trooper presence in rural Alaska has weakened;
however, he pointed out that DPS is still committed to these
communities. On slide 2, he stated that the Village Public
Safety Officer (VPSO) program has grown over the past four
years, with an increased number of officers, higher salaries,
and a higher retention rate. He stated that the department's
goal is to fill all requests for VPSOs in the villages. To
strengthen the department's focus on the program, he stated that
the program is now under the commissioner's office. He pointed
out that now there is a dedicated VPSO academy, with a higher
level of training. He referred to a VPSO as "a jack of all
trades," as they do more than law enforcement.
8:15:23 AM
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL, in response to a question from
Representative Story, stated that if a community does not have
local law enforcement, then the nearest troopers would respond
to the emergency and fly to the community; however, he noted
that there could be weather delays. He explained that villages
have Village Police Officers (VPOs) funded by the federal
government, while others have tribal police.
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL, in response to a question from
Representative Schwanke, stated that some VPSOs stay in the
communities where they were born, while others travel to work in
other villages across the state. He suggested that there has
been more movement recently among these officers, as it is
difficult when relatives are in the community, and there is a
certain amount of "burnout." He pointed out that most VPSOs are
hired by a grantee who funds the position; therefore, they are
not state employees.
8:19:52 AM
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL moved to slide 3, pointing out that DPS
has established criminal investigators in rural areas of the
state. He explained that adding highly trained troopers for
serious crimes has provided equality for rural communities, as
they have lacked the resources of more urban areas. He noted
the new investigative unit in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta,
explaining that it focuses on crimes against children and adult
sexual assault. He stated that currently there are three
investigators, with a request to add three more in the Nome-
Kotzebue region. He stated that having these investigators has
helped, as prosecutions have risen. He added that this has
freed-up the uniform troopers, as they need to be present in the
villages. He discussed the modernization of DPS's aircraft
fleet, which has helped with response times to emergencies in
remote Alaska. He emphasized DPS's focus on solving homicides
in remote Alaska.
8:26:05 AM
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL, in response to a question from
Representative Schwanke, clarified that all Native Alaska
homicide cases over the last two years have been solved. In
response to a follow-up question, he stated that the Child
Advocacy Centers (CACs) are needed for criminal investigations
for child sexual assault cases. He discussed the funding issues
for these centers, expressing the opinion that CACs need to be
funded by the state. He said, "It is almost insulting that we
are not funding them." He pointed out that CACs are not part of
DPS; however, if the department had the funding, it would fund
the centers.
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE expressed support for funding CACs. She
pointed out federal grants are tapering off, and there has been
discussion in the legislature to find the funding. She
emphasized that CACs are an important law enforcement tool, as
it allows prosecutions to move forward. She thanked
Commissioner Cockrell for his dedication to the issue.
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL concurred with Representative Schwanke's
comments concerning CACs funding. He argued that federal
funding is too unstable, as departments' need continuity for
planning. He surmised that the successes at DPS have been
because of focus and continuity. He asserted that when a
victimized individual has not received support, it is difficult
for this individual to become a productive part of society. He
reiterated that the state has an obligation to protect its
people. He argued that not providing treatment and support to
victims would cost society more than the cost of treatment.
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE commented that CACs also provide
education to the public, and they have a presence in schools.
8:35:04 AM
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL, in response to a question from Chair
Dibert, clarified that sexual assault cases are not technically
a law enforcement issue. He stated that DPS would respond;
however, this is a social issue that needs to be systemically
solved by the state. He noted that Alaska has had the highest
levels of sexual assault and domestic violence for years, and he
expressed the opinion there needs to be a shift, as this issue
should not always fall on law enforcement. Concerning the
question of whether Fairbanks has the only CAC in the Northern
Interior, he responded that DPS would fly victims of sexual
assault to the nearest CAC for investigation, especially the
child victims. He noted that this has been done often.
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL, in response to a follow-up question from
Representative Burke concerning delays for victims who must be
flown, stated that if a victim on the North Slope cannot go
nonstop to Fairbanks, he/she would be diverted to Anchorage. He
stated that he would follow up to the committee on procedure
when there are no direct flights from Utqiagvik to Fairbanks.
He noted that CVDSA stands for the Council on Domestic Violence
and Sexual Assault.
8:40:19 AM
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL, on slide 4, stated that when he became
commissioner, DPS was not focused on missing and murdered
Indigenous persons (MMIP), but over the past four years, it has
become a priority. He aknowledged that initially he had
underestimated the issue. He stated that after an initiative
from the governor, he was able to increase the number of
investigators assigned to MMIP cases from two to four. He
pointed out these investigators are now working on cold cases.
8:43:55 AM
JAMES HOELSCHER, Director, Village Public Safety Operations
Division, Department of Public Safety, stated that one element
of Senate Bill 151 requires that all law enforcement officers
have training on cultural understanding and MMIP awareness. He
stated that this focus reflects DPS's commitment to
strengthening public safety in the villages, building community
trust, and honoring the cultures of all the people that the
department is sworn to serve. He stated that the training
addresses multiple factors concerning historical trauma and
MMIP. He pointed out that some of these factors include
environmental, domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking,
and substance abuse. He further discussed aspects of the
training, such as teaching officers to communicate in cultural
ways, so long-term trust could be built with Native communities.
MR. HOELSCHER explained the timeline of the training program, as
required by Senate Bill 151. He pointed out that DPS had
started the training sessions several months before the required
date. He listed the different law enforcement entities included
in the training program. He spoke about the development of an
online course to facilitate the training. He noted the goal of
completing the training requirements before the January 2027
statutory deadline. He stated that DPS is partnering with
Native groups and MMIP advocates, and from these partnerships
training materials have been updated with local input. He
pointed out the goal of creating trust with Indigenous
populations across the state.
MR. HOELSCHER discussed the Don't Wait Campaign, which has the
goal of dispelling the myth that a person should wait 24 hours
before reporting a missing person. He stated that
advertisements have been put out to address this misconception.
He added that the department is also publishing a form to help
structure information related to cases of missing persons. He
discussed the strategies in place to help the public use the
form. To address environmental factors that contribute to
missing persons, he noted that the department is recommending
the use of GPS tracking devices. In conclusion, he stated that
this and other proactive steps are being taken to address MMIP.
8:52:15 AM
MR. HOELSCHER, in response to a question from Representative
Schwanke, affirmed that VPSOs have been encouraged to educate
the community and students on the use of GPS devices. He added
that VPSOs also teach in schools about drug awareness and trip-
planning safety.
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE expressed support for VPSOs to engage
with communities and have their presence in schools, as this
builds trust. She expressed the understanding that this would
be "breaking down the barriers."
CHAIR DIBERT related a story concerning the importance of
informing others and carrying the appropriate equipment when
going into the remote wilderness.
8:57:27 AM
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL aknowledged that Mr. Hoelscher's
dedication has helped grow the VSPO program in a positive
direction, and this has been done at a speed not seen in the
past.
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL moved to slide 5 and discussed the
statewide data that DPS has collected on MMIP. He stated that
there are about 345 MMIP cases in the database, with 77 percent
of these being from environmental reasons, such as a plane crash
or a sunken boat. He noted that only 5 percent of MMIP cases
are suspicious in nature, and these cases are the focus of the
four investigators. He moved to slide 6 and discussed the
outreach DPS is doing in the villages. He noted that DPS has
hired two tribal liaisons, and department representatives have
been attending community meetings, listening sessions, townhall
meetings, and public safety summits. He noted DPS's
participation with the Alaska Federation of Natives.
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL discussed AKtips, which is a phone app
that allows individuals to submit anonymous tips to the troopers
concerning illicit drugs. He pointed out that this has helped
to understand the flow of drugs into communities and pinpoint
the main dealers. He noted that these drug investigators are
located throughout rural Alaska. He added that most of these
drugs have been seized out of the Anchorage region, as this is
where most of them flow through. He pointed out that recently
50 pounds of illicit drugs, such as cocaine, fentanyl, and
methamphetamine, were seized in Anchorage. He emphasized that
this is considered a large amount. He expressed the
understanding that Alaska has a significant drug problem.
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL expressed the opinion that DPS has not
done "a very good job at connecting with victims of violent
crime," and often they are lost in the criminal justice system,
as it could take years for a case to go to trial. To address
this, he said that a victim navigator program has been set up to
help victims stay engaged in the system. He expressed the hope
that this would help victims understand that "law enforcement
does care."
9:09:21 AM
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL, in response to a question from
Representative Underwood, stated that the Missing Persons
Clearinghouse is updated almost daily, and this is available to
the public. He stated that the Missing Persons Clearinghouse
designates whether the case is environmental, suspicious, or
nonsuspicious. He added that there are a few cases where people
do not want to be found, but they are still on the list.
9:11:22 AM
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL, in response to a question from
Representative Burke, explained that the categorization of cases
as environmental, suspicious, or nonsuspicious would be
determined by police reports and discussions with the other law
enforcement entities involved. In response to a follow-up
question, he clarified that there are no open MMIP cases within
DPS. In response to a follow-up question from Chair Dibert, he
explained that after a person has been reported missing, the
department would start gathering as much information as
possible, and an investigation would be opened. He stated that
the circumstances would decide if search and rescue is needed,
or if it is a case where someone simply left. He noted that
there are also mental health cases. He emphasized that the
faster information is provided, the better chance there is of
resolving the case.
9:17:08 AM
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL, in response to a question from
Representative Schwanke concerning jurisdiction, stated that
local police departments are required to contact DPS with cases
involving a missing person, and this is so the case could be
added to the Missing Persons Clearinghouse list. He explained
that the Alaska State Troopers have authority across the entire
state except in Denali National Park. He noted that it has
concurrent jurisdiction in Metlakatla, as this is the only
reservation in the state.
9:19:47 AM
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL, in response to a question from Chair
Dibert, stated that VPSOs are trained in search and rescue. He
added that VPSOs only have authority within their designated
region, but DPS can extend this power to do search and rescue in
other areas. He added that DPS has given VPSOs authority under
a special commission to have powers within their own region of
the state.
9:23:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BURKE discussed the situation with VPSOs in the
region surrounding the North Slope Borough, as some of these
communities do not have law enforcement officers. She stated
that many of these communities have expressed a need for law
enforcement. She provided a story of a citizen who had to
respond to a suicide case, and the individual had no training.
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL affirmed that communities without VPOs or
VPSOs usually have elders who respond to cases until law
enforcement can arrive. He expressed the opinion that the state
has failed it citizens for decades, and many people have died.
He emphasized the need for improvement, noting that housing for
troopers is an issue. He pointed out that even with the
progress over the past four years, "we just have a long way to
go." He said, "I don't have a good answer for it. I just think
it is shameful." He further discussed the struggle of funding
for law enforcement and the VPSO program. He asserted that a
solution must be found because people are suffering.
9:32:38 AM
CHAIR DIBERT commented on a missing person in Fairbanks, and she
expressed the opinion that when a family member is missing, a
"grey area" is created, and this "opens the door" to a loss of
trust in the system, as voices are not being heard. She
expressed appreciation to the commissioner, especially for the
cultural acknowledgments he made.
9:34:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE expressed appreciation for the positive
statements about progress that has been made. She requested
that a one-page information sheet on the AKtips app be sent to
every member of the legislature. She opined that putting this
out to the public would make DPS's job easier, especially
concerning illicit drugs.
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL emphasized that the AKtips app does not
take the place of "911." He expressed appreciation to the
committee. He noted the gravity of the issues that have been
discussed.
CHAIR DIBERT expressed thanks to Commissioner Cockrell for
presenting.
9:38:45 AM
LAUREL SHOOP, Legislative Liaison, Special Assistant to the
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner, Department of Public
Safety, reiterated that the need to wait 24 hours before
reporting a missing person is a myth. She stated that she would
follow up with the AKtips information sheet, and she encouraged
that it be shared.
9:39:29 AM
CHAIR DIBERT urged the members to participate in events to show
support for MMIP. She concluded the meeting with closing
comments.
9:40:53 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Tribal Affairs meeting was adjourned at
9:41 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HTRB 4.29.2025 DPS Commitment to Rural Alaska.pdf |
HTRB 4/29/2025 8:00:00 AM |
|
| AFN Flyer Final Print.pdf |
HTRB 4/29/2025 8:00:00 AM |
|
| Alaska MMIP Quarterly Report.pdf |
HTRB 4/29/2025 8:00:00 AM |