Anchorage Rebuilds Public Safety with Measurable Progress

Investments in policing, prosecution, and prevention are delivering results, with more ahead.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 4:53am

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Anchorage Assembly member Zac Johnson, a former U.S. Marine, Alaska State Trooper, and volunteer firefighter, details the city's efforts to rebuild public safety, including increasing police staffing, targeting organized retail theft, addressing illegal camping, and mitigating wildfire risks. Johnson cites measurable progress, such as a 71% increase in municipal convictions, and says Anchorage is safer today than yesterday, with more work ahead.

Why it matters

Anchorage has faced public safety challenges in recent years, including staffing declines in the police department, speedy trial dismissals, and persistent issues like organized retail theft and illegal camping. The city's efforts to rebuild from the ground up, investing in policing, prosecution, and prevention, aim to make the community safer and more secure.

The details

Key initiatives include rebuilding the Anchorage Police Department with back-to-back full academies, creating a dedicated unit to tackle retail theft, assigning detectives to felony strangulation cases, providing officers with new technology, and resolving the speedy trial dismissal issue at the Municipal Prosecutor's Office. The city also adopted a camping ordinance to address illegal encampments and invested in wildfire mitigation efforts.

  • In late 2025, Anchorage created a dedicated unit at APD to address retail theft.
  • In the summer of 2025, Anchorage adopted a camping ordinance prohibiting camping around parks, playgrounds, trails, and schools.
  • From March 2024 to February 2025, Anchorage recorded 2,276 convictions in municipal cases. From March 2025 to February 2026, that number jumped to 3,904 - a 71% increase.

The players

Zac Johnson

A current Anchorage Assembly member representing District 6 and running for reelection, with a background as a U.S. Marine, Alaska State Trooper, and volunteer firefighter.

Anchorage Police Department

The local law enforcement agency that has been rebuilding its staffing through back-to-back police academies.

Anchorage Municipal Prosecutor's Office

The office responsible for prosecuting municipal cases, which has increased staffing to resolve the speedy trial dismissal issue.

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What they’re saying

“Public safety is not an abstract policy debate for me. It has been my life's work.”

— Zac Johnson, Anchorage Assembly member

What’s next

If Anchorage can maintain the momentum of its public safety investments, the city aims to have the Anchorage Police Department fully staffed by the end of 2026.

The takeaway

Anchorage's multifaceted approach to rebuilding public safety, including investments in policing, prosecution, and prevention, is delivering measurable progress and making the community safer. This comprehensive strategy serves as a model for other cities facing similar public safety challenges.