Today Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell released the following statement regarding the proposed issuance of State of Alaska Special Commissions to the Chickaloon Tribal Police Department:
“After receiving hundreds of comments from across the Matanuska Susitna Valley, I have decided to not move forward with issuing special commissions to the Chickaloon Tribal Police Department. My team and I received a significant amount of feedback from community members which demonstrated continued community consultation and relationship building is needed before special commissions can be considered. Without public trust, policing in any community would be nearly impossible. DPS will continue to work with tribes across the state to improve public safety outcomes for Alaska’s first people.”
This decision does not impact any of the inherent criminal justice authority held by tribal governments or currently delegated to tribal governments by the federal government.
The matter is highly controversial in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, where some members of the Chickaloon area want tribal police to have expanded powers, while others object to it.
Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding between DPS and select members of the Chickaloon Police Department, officers would have been authorized to address State of Alaska Title 11 misdemeanor crimes, misconduct involving controlled substances, and sex trafficking offenses. However, the enforcement would be limited in scope, with no authority granted for traffic enforcement, traffic stops, or vehicle pursuits on the Glenn Highway.
The decision to grant a special commission has sparked debate within the community, particularly regarding the implications for tribal sovereignty and jurisdiction.
Watch proceedings from a community town hall meeting about the proposal that took place in 2022:
