Alumni Update: Casey Gilmore, BA Legal Studies '16 and Dominic Eubank, BA Justice '16

Casey Gilmore

Casey Gilmore, BA Legal Studies '16 and Pro Bono Service Honors, was accepted to Willamette University School of Law, and began classes in the fall 2016. She is a member of the Women's Law Caucus at Willamette University and is a volunteer for the ACLU. Casey hopes to return to Alaska to practice after completing law school. 

Officer Dominic Eubank

Dominic Eubank, BA Justice '16, is a recent graduate of the Anchorage Police Department (APD) Academy. The academy graduation program noted that Officer Eubank chose to join APD because of all of the opportunities within the department. His favorite course in the academy was firearms training, and he enjoyed becoming a more proficient shooter and firearms handler.

Dr. Payne joins APD Police Chief Tolley on KSKA Hometown Alaska - hear the archived broadcast!

L to r: Dr. Payne and Chief Tolley
at the KSKA studio.

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, joined the KSKA Hometown Alaska conversation on February 3 with Anchorage Police Department Chief Christopher Tolley and host Kathleen McCoy.   In his capacity as a member of the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force, Dr. Payne provided his perspective as Chief Tolley discussed his first months on the job, his initiatives, and his concerns going forward. Chief Tolley took over as Chief in October of 2015.

Click below for the archived broadcast:
"APD Police Chief Chris Tolley Takes Your Questions"
Date: Recorded Wednesday, February 3
Hometown Alaska, KSKA Public Radio, 91.1 FM

Justice alumni spotlight: Officer Hannah (Scott) Ostrom, BA Justice ’12

Officer Hannah (Scott) Ostrom

Officer Hannah (Scott) Ostrom, BA Justice ’12, recently celebrated her first anniversary with the Anchorage Police Department (APD).  Hannah has always been interested in law enforcement and in the military.  When looking at a future career, she was not sure which law enforcement entity she wanted to join. But a friend helped her get permission to do a ride-along with APD and she discovered things were very different than what she had expected – and she liked the challenges and variety she saw. Her courses in the Justice Center often used statistics from APD and she felt like she got to know a lot about how that law enforcement agency works.  So when the time seemed right, Hannah applied to APD and was hired.

Hannah came to Alaska from Connecticut about seven years ago – she wanted to go “out West” where there were more job opportunities. At UAA, she first majored in Business then switched to Justice.  That made more sense because she was interested in working in federal law enforcement.  The toll that drugs take on individuals and the community is a big focus for Hannah, and she wanted to be part of the solution to that problem.

APD Officer Hannah (Scott) Ostrom by her patrol car.

Before joining APD, Hannah worked for a private security firm that assisted state agencies in transporting prisoners, as well as transports under Title 47.  Dr. Marny Rivera’s course in biobehavioral criminology really helped prepare her for dealing successfully with persons suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues – and she recommends that course for anyone going into law enforcement.  Hannah credits her coursework at the Justice Center for giving her an overview of crime and the justice system, and a good context for what police work entails.  She especially enjoyed her senior year capstone class with Dr. Ron Everett. The assigned readings took a lot of time but they covered a multitude of topics including sentencing, DNA testing and exoneration of innocent persons convicted for crimes, and financial crime and impacts. “The books were good reads. I gained more from that class than from anything. It was hard, but worth it.”


Her next step after being hired by APD was the APD Police Academy here in Anchorage– a rigorous program that includes report writing, criminal law classes, overview of different police units, pistol/rifle/shotgun practice, defensive tactics, and scenarios requiring application of the skills learned.  There were initially three women in Hannah’s class, but ultimately Hannah was one of only two women who made it through the program.  After graduation, Hannah began additional training with APD – a process that is ongoing for all police officers.

For the first few months, Hannah did field training observation with several training officers.  Now, after one year on the job, she is in a patrol car on her own.  She remarks that even though many women may be of smaller stature than men, they can be just as effective in police work – and that women are taught how to have a “command presence,” among other strategies.  She loves her job and especially appreciates that APD has so many opportunities for furthering her career in law enforcement.

One thing that is apparent when talking to Hannah is the amount of gear she is wearing.  All officers wear about 40 pounds of gear including, but not limited to, a gun, ammunition, a radio, and handcuffs. There are internal and external vests. The vests themselves are not light-weight and are made of bullet-proof materials.  Female officers have belts designed for their body type, but Hannah notes that no matter what, every officer – male and female - feels the heavy weight of their gear. “Body work,” she grins, “is a requirement for keeping muscles pain-free and in shape – whether it’s massage, chiropractic, or yoga. When I first started, I was told I would need body work, but I thought, not me – I’m young and in good shape. Well, I was wrong.”


When she is not keeping the streets of Anchorage safe, Hannah enjoys mixed martial arts and competes on the state and national level in Brazilian jujitsu.  She was state champion in her division for two years. And she is also a Pilates instructor.  Her job requires her to be in good condition, but she also notes, “I hate the winter.  That’s why I do indoor sport.”  Hannah likes keeping a balance of work and other activities, and stresses the benefit of both the camaraderie of fellow officers, as well as that of friends who are outside the field of police work. And what does the future hold?  Ultimately, Hannah would like to work in SWAT or in vice.  In the meantime Officer Ostrom is enjoying the opportunity to respond to a variety of situations in her daily job with APD.

Tune in when Dr. Payne joins APD Police Chief Tolley on KSKA Hometown Alaska, Wednesday, Feb 3 at 2:00 pm

Tune in on Wednesday, February 3, when Anchorage Police Department Chief Christopher Tolley joins host Kathleen McCoy on Hometown Alaska to discuss his first months on the job, his initiatives, and his concerns going forward. Chief Tolley took over as Chief in October of 2015.

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, will also join the conversation as a member of the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force.

"APD Police Chief Chris Tolley Takes Your Questions,"
Date: Wednesday, Feburary 3
Time: 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., Hometown Alaska, KSKA Public Radio, 91.1 FM

Justice major Daniel Reinhard presents paper at 2015 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

Daniel Reinhard, a senior and Justice major, presented a paper at the recent Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference in March.  His presentation, "Observations of Crime and Disorder at an Urban Park," is related to the research he has been doing with Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, in collaboration with the Anchorage Police Department and the Anchorage Downtown Partnership.

Daniel Reinhard observed activities in the park over a number
of days and during different time periods.

The paper reports on criminal and delinquent behavior as observed in Town Square Park - a downtown urban park in Anchorage, Alaska. Town Square Park is source of local controversy and has attracted the attention of the local police department and the Anchorage Downtown Partnership, an organization charged with providing services to the downtown district of Anchorage. In response to these agencies having a lack of recorded data on what occurs in the park Daniel conducted observations in the park. This research notes observed park activities, hypothesizes the park's role as a crime attractor and lists physical characteristics of the park that may facilitate criminality.

Justice Center co-sponsors November 5 community forum on Traffic Stops: What to Expect from Police - video of the event now online!

Dr. Payne (at podium) welcomes the audience to the event.

The Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force (ACPRTF), the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission (AERC), the Anchorage Police Department (APD), and the Justice Center co-sponsored a community forum on November 5 - "Traffic Stops - What to Expect from Police." The event was held at the UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307.

Presenters included Captain Dave Koch and Officer Jon Butler, Anchorage Police Department; Joshua Decker, ACLU of Alaska Executive Director; and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center faculty, as moderator.

Click here to watch a video of the program on the APD YouTube channel.

L to r: APD Chief Mark Mew, APD Captain Dave Koch, ACLU of Alaska Executive Director Joshua Decker,
Justice Center faculty Dr. Troy Payne, ACPRTF Vice -Chair Pastor Victor Marbury, and APD Office Jon Butler.

Anchorage Police Officer Dave DeLesline speaks about domestic violence to students in Justice classes

Officer DeLesline explains how crimes of domestic violence are defined.

Officer Dave DeLesline, Anchorage Police Department (APD), spoke to students in Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein's Domestic Violence class and in Dr. Allan Barnes' Seminar in Criminal Violation in late October.

Officer DeLesline works on domestic violence cases, and is also an APD recruiter. In Dr. Blumenstein's class, he outlined what constitutes a crime of domestic violence and how domestic violence crimes are handled by police. In Dr. Barnes' graduate class, Officer DeLesline also discussed his observations about the causes of crime in Anchorage. 

Dr. Payne moderates panel November 5 on "Stopped by Police?" - learn about your rights, what to expect and say

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, moderates a panel - "Stopped by Police?" -  on Wednesday, November 5, co-sponsored by the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force, the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, the Anchorage Police Department, and the UAA Justice Center.

What: "Stopped by Police?"
Date: Wednesday, November 5
Time: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Place: UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307
Parking: Free in Library surface lots and East Garage by Conoco-Phillips Integrated Sciences Building

Experts from the Anchorage Police Department and the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska will discuss the topics below and answer questions from the audience:

• What to expect
• What to say
• What are my rights?
• Can an officer search my car?
• Do passengers have to provide ID?
• When can officers pull me over?
• Why do officers always shine their flashlight in my eyes?

AJSAC releases "State and Local Law Enforcement Personnel in Alaska: 1982–2012"

The most recent issue of the AJSAC Fact Sheet presents data for 1982–2012 on state and local law enforcement personnel in Alaska, including size of law enforcement agencies by number of employed personnel, police-citizen ratio, ratio of sworn officers to civilian employees, and employment of women as sworn officers. Data is drawn from the annual Crime in Alaska report of the Alaska Department of Public Safety and the annual Crime in the United States report of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, both of which are part of the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program. The fact sheet is by Khristy Parker of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC).

Town Square Park research project by Dr. Payne featured in Alaska Dispatch News

Town Square Park during "It's Hip To Be Square" week.

The Town Square Park research project by Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center faculty,  in collaboration with the Anchorage Police Department was featured on the front page of the Alaska Dispatch News on August 8.

The online version of the article can be viewed below:

"University uses social experiment to study Town Square Park behaviors" by Devin Kelly. Alaska Dispatch News, 7 Aug 2014.

Dr. Payne and student researcher Daniel Reinhard have been observing activity in the Town Square Park as part of a crime study for the Anchorage Police Department (APD).  APD Chief Mark Mew had made safety in the part one of his priorities.  Local businesses had noted disorder in the park and were concerned about safety. Dr. Payne will be completing a report later this year for APD analyzing the results of the crime survey. Violent crime is not rampant in the park, but there are issues of chronic inebriates and disorderly conduct.

The article notes: “Nobody really likes to hear this, but there’s no magic bullet when it comes to crime and disorder problems,” Payne said. “What it’s probably going to take is a little bit of design change in the park, a little bit of change in how the park is used, plus the citizens of Anchorage wanting to take the park back and really engaging in the park.”

L to r: Dr. Troy Payne, APD Chief Mark Mew, and
student researcher Daniel Reinhard observe activity in the park
from windows in the upper level of Performing Arts Center.

Dr. Payne interviewed by KTUU Ch 2 News about Town Square Park crime survey

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center faculty, was interviewed by KTUU Channel 2 News about the ongoing Town Square Park crime survey being conducted in partnership with the Anchorage Police Department (APD).  A Justice student researcher, Daniel Reinhard, and Dr. Payne, have been observing activity in the park over the past several weeks. APD Chief Mark Mew will be looking at the results of the study to determine the most effective way to combat crime in the park.

The Anchorage Downtown Partnership scheduled daily activities for the public in the park July 21 - 25. Dr. Payne will be evaluating the change in park use before and after those events based on  the observations of activities over the study period.  A report will be published later this year.

See the story: "Social Experiment in Downtown Park May Change Crime Patterns" by Mallory Peebles. KTUU Channel 2 News, 30 July 2014.

APD Officer Jonathan Butler, Justice major, and two other officers awarded Medal of Valor on Police Memorial Day

L to r: APD Officer Christian, Officer Butler, Officer Barth.

Anchorage Police Department Officer Jonathan Butler, a Justice major, and two colleagues, Officer Matthew Barth and Officer Eric Christian have been presented medals of valor for their response to a small aircraft crash on August 24, 2013 at Merrill Field Airport.

A medal of valor is awarded to a police officer for an exceptionally courageous act where the officer had prior knowledge of the physical risk and dangers involved.  The officers and a civilian, John Lameroux, ran to the burning aircraft to extinguish the flames and extricate two occupants.  They were able to free the occupants and pull them to a safe location. Tragically, the occupants did not survive, but the officers and the civilian worked heroically to rescue the individuals from a volatile and dangerous event.

The presentation to the APD officers is being made today, May 9, on Police Memorial Day.

Dr. Chamard interviewed by Anchorage Daily News about Anchorage Police Department's new crime-mapping system

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, was interviewed by the Anchorage Daily News about the Anchorage Police Department's newly launched crime-mapping system called RAIDS Online.
Dr. Chamard noted that the system "really puts the power of getting this information into the hands of citizens."

"APD launches new crime-mapping system" by Devin Kelly, Anchorage Daily News, April 16, 2014.

Dr. Payne on panel about recommendations for Anchorage Police use of force policy

Panel members at the ACPRTF forum.

 Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, was a panelist at the February 13 Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force (ACPRTF) community forum at Clark Middle School on "Police Use of Force."

A sub-committee of the ACPRTF reviewed the APD use of force policy and recently released a report,  Anchorage Police Department Use of Force Policy Review Brief and Recommendations. Dr. Payne is a member of the ACPRTF and was a member of the reviewing sub-committee.

Panelists also included Chief Mark Mew, Anchorage Police Department (APD), and other ACPRTF members. Municipality of Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan made introductory comments. Rosa Melendez, Regional Director, Region X, Department of Justice Community Relations Service, was the program moderator.

Chief Mew announced at the event that a copy of the APD Use of Force Policy is now available on the APD web page.

This event was presented by the ACPRTF in partnership with the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, the Anchorage Police Department, and the UAA Justice Center.

Dr. Payne is panelist at Feb 13 community forum on police use of force procedures

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, will be a panelist at the upcoming Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force (ACPRTF) community forum on February 13.

Topic: Police Use of Force Procedures
Day: Thursday, February 13, 2014
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Place: Clark Middle School

Panelists also include Pastor Victor Marbury, ACPRTF Vice-Chair and Chief Mark Mew, Anchorage Police Department (APD), as well as other community and agency members. Rosa Melendez, Regional Director, Region X, Department of Justice Community Relations Service, will be the program moderator.

This event is presented by the ACPRTF in partnership with the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, the Anchorage Police Department, and the UAA Justice Center.

The ACPRTF recently released the Anchorage Police Department Use of Force Policy Review Brief and Recommendations. This report looks at the history and mission of the ACPRTF, recent use of deadly force incidents by APD, efforts by APD and the ACPRTF to address community concerns about use of force, and presents the findings and recommendations of the ACPRTF's review of the Anchorage Police Department's use of force policy.

Since its establishment in 1981, the Task Force has operated successfully in its role as a liaison between the ethnic minority community and the APD.  It continues to provide a forum for input and constructive dialogue between Anchorage community members and the APD.

Dr. Payne is panelist at upcoming community forum on police use of force procedures

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, will be a panelist at the upcoming Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force (ACPRTF) community forum on February 13.

Topic: Police Use of Force Procedures
Day: Thursday, February 13, 2014
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Place: Clark Middle School

Panelists include Pastor Victor Marbury, ACPTRF Vice-Chair and Chief Mark Mew, Anchorage Police Department (APD), as well as other community and agency members.

This event is presented by the ACPRTF in partnership with the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, the Anchorage Police Department, and the UAA Justice Center.

Since its establishment in 1981, the Task Force has operated successfully in its role as a liaison between the ethnic minority community and the APD.  It continues to provide a forum for input and constructive dialogue between Anchorage community members and the APD.

Video of press conference on Officer-Involved Shootings report

The UAA Justice Center and the Anchorage Police Department (APD)  released a report, Officer-Involved Shootings in Anchorage 1993-2013, at a joint press conference held December 11 on the UAA campus. The report was authored by Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty.

See the video of the press conference below.

Our earlier blog post has more information about the report, which can be read here.

Media stories on the report include:

• "Study Investigates Two Decades of APD Officer-Involved Shootings" (audio included) by Daysha Eaton.  KSKA-FM Anchorage Public Radio, 11 Dec 2013.
• "With 45 Anchorage Police Shootings in Two Decades, Researchers Crunch the Numbers"  by Casey Grove.  Anchorage Daily News, 11 Dec 2013. 
• "UAA Justice Center Study Looks for Answers Behind Police Shootings" by Suzanna Caldwell.  Alaska Dispatch, 11 Dec 2013.
• "UAA Study Examines Officer-Involved Shootings: In 45 Cases in the Past Two Decades, Every Suspect Had a Weapon; 40 Percent of the Time It Was a Vehicle" (video included) by Heather Hintze.  KTVA Channel 11 News, 11 Dec 2013. 
• "Police Shootings Usually Preceded by Driving, Threats: In 40 Percent of Anchorage Police-Involved Shootings, Car Was the Weapon Used"  by Dan Carpenter.  KTUU Channel 2 News, 11 Dec 2013.
• "UAA Study of Anchorage Police Shootings Released"  by the Associated Press. SeattlePI.com, 12 Dec 2013. This AP story has also been published by the San Francisco Chronicle, Beaumont  Enterprise (TX), GreenwichTime.com (CT), and Franklin Daily Journal (IN).

Contacts
 Dr. Troy Payne, UAA Justice Center, 786-1816  or tpayne9@uaa.alaska.edu
Jennifer Castro, APD, 786-8571 or  jcastro@muni.org

Justice Center and Anchorage Police Dept release report on officer-involved shootings

The UAA Justice Center and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) have released a report, Officer-Involved Shootings in Anchorage 1993-2013. The report was released today, December 11, at a joint press conference held on the UAA campus. The report was authored by Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty.

The report is part of a cooperative project with the UAA Justice Center and the Anchorage Municipal Attorney's Office.  The project began in July and includes the creation of a database cataloging officer-involved shootings for the past 20 years in Anchorage.

Purpose
The purpose of the project is three-fold. First, to identify and understand the important characteristics and trends, so that APD can implement properly focused strategies and techniques to avoid the use of lethal force when possible, but still effectively protect the public. Second, to educate community leaders about APD’s history with these particular events, and build a strong working relationship with them and policymakers to find effective ways to reduce criminal behaviors that lead to violent interactions with police. Third, to be sure that APD meets the local community’s expectations for safety and trust in the police department. Transparent, open access to the data will help meet this goal. It is anticipated that the project will be ongoing with the Justice Center regularly reporting and analyzing data.

The Report
This report describes situational, officer, and citizen characteristics of the 45 officer-involved shootings in Anchorage for the period 1 Jan 1993 through 11 May 2013 as recorded in Anchorage Police Department criminal investigation files. An “officer-involved shooting” is defined as an incident in which a sworn employee of the Anchorage Police Department purposefully discharged a firearm at a human being.

Data for this report was derived from investigation case files produced by the Anchorage Police Department at the time of the incident. The report has three limitations:
1. The data can be used to describe, but not to explain, officer-involved shootings;
2. The data reflect the views of officers involved or near the scene of the shooting,
with no independent investigation completed by project staff for this report;
3. The report describes rare events, the patterns of which are difficult (or impossible)
to distinguish from random chance.

The report is intended to provide an overall picture of the officer-involved shootings during the past two decades. While it cannot explain such events given the limitations of the data source, there is no other comprehensive source of aggregate officer-involved shooting data in Anchorage. This report is therefore a first step toward a better understanding of officer use of force in Anchorage.

Contacts
 Dr. Troy Payne, UAA Justice Center, 786-1816  or tpayne9@uaa.alaska.edu
Jennifer Castro, APD, 786-8571 or  jcastro@muni.org

A link to the video of the press conference will be provided shortly.

Justice Center and Anchorage Police Dept press conference, December 11, re APD Officer-Involved Shootings report

WHAT
This press conference will introduce the results of a report on Anchorage Police Department (APD) officer-involved shootings from 1993–2013. The UAA Justice Center prepared this report for APD. A brief overview of the report will be followed by a presentation of the data.

WHO
UAA Justice Center
Anchorage Police Department

WHEN
11:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 11, 2013

WHERE
UAA Gorsuch Commons, Room 107
The Gorsuch Commons is located on UAA’s campus, next to student housing off Elmore Road. Parking will be free in the adjacent Spruce Lot and Willow Lot during this event.
Campus Map: http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/map/

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES
Dr. Troy Payne, UAA Justice Center (Report Author)
Chief Mark Mew, Anchorage Police Department
Lt. Kevin Vandergriff, Anchorage Police Department, Internal Affairs

MORE INFORMATION
To learn more about UAA’s Justice Center, visit http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu.

CONTACTS
UAA: Barbara Armstrong, editor@uaa.alaska.edu, 786-1815
APD: Jennifer Castro, jcastro@muni.org, 786-8571

Drs. Chamard and Payne to research calls for police service for Anchorage Police Department

Dr. Sharon Chamard and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, will be assisting the Anchorage Police Department  (APD) by researching calls for police service under Anchorage Municipal Code 8.80. AMC 8.80 authorizes the Municipality to impose a fee for excessive calls for police service during one calendar year to a residential property .

They will be interviewing APD's CAP  (Community Action Police) Team and examining data from APD.