Jerry Nankervis of Juneau had heard enough of the anti-police rhetoric that’s been sounded ’round the nation.
In a moment of inspiration on Friday, he appeared at City Hall for about 90 minutes with a sign, which said “Thank you JPD” on one side and “Support and Fund Our Police” on the other.
Nankervis is a retiree from the Juneau Police Department and a former member of the Juneau Assembly. He ran for House in 2018, but as a Republican, he didn’t win in the General Election, which went to Rep. Andi Story.
Nankervis isn’t your typical protester, but said he considered what was happening in Seattle and thought about the quote from Edmund Burke: “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”
In Seattle, a Socialist summer camp has taken over a large section of Capitol Hill and is calling it the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, where no police are allowed. This occurred after days of rioting, looting, and clashes with police.
Nankervis’ admittedly lone quest on the corner of a quiet, non-touristed downtown Juneau was generally met with approval by passing drivers, about 15-1 in favor of his message, which he found encouraging.
Just two drivers visibly disagreed: One stopped to shout, “Defund the police! They have tanks!” He gave Nankervis the finger and told him to “Grow the f– up” before driving off. The other apparent dissenter just rolled his eyes and drove on.
“I didn’t do it for the attention, I did it because it has to be done,” Nankervis said.
Nankervis spent 24 years on the Juneau police force, from which he retired as a captain. He is active in youth hockey, in addition to his former work on the Assembly.
Thank you. Inspirational
Good for Jerry Nankervis…..I would join him if I were there…..and we all should be there with him at least in spirit….
Good for Jerry Nankervis and thanks for his efforts to stand up for the great silent majority who should be there if not in person at least in spirit…
Thank you Jerry for supporting the JPD and police officers around our nation.
Hats off to Jerry. Smile and wave to all the police officers and tell them you appreciate them whenever you get the chance. And boycott the businesses that support the other side.
I ask again. Many democrat strongholds have corrupt police departments. Is Juneau the exception? I don’t know.
Really!? Maybe during Mayor Daley’s reign. There’s no more corrupt institution in america today than the Federal DOJ with Barr at its’ helm, who plausibly smeared AG William Sessions in the 90’s. Corrupt doesn’t really have a party affiliation – the closer you get to the top of the power pyramid, the more it occurs!
Looking through your glasses, I can see why you think that. When you are forced to follow the rules of law, a lot of things seem unjust.driving without a permit isn’t really hurting anyone is it? Or 20 miles over the posted speed limit? Or driving while intoxicated? Swamp rats don’t like the swamp being drained do they? They don’t like following any rule of law no matter how petty.
Jerry looks like a nice guy. The problem is a lot of departments hire high school bullies who then take it out on the populace. From extensive conversations with lots of people, my estimate is that 40 – 60% of police force members (generic) are BAD! You can teach a good cop to be bad (when they need to be!), but you can’t teach a bad cop to be good. We need more community leverage over police unions that allow bad actors to be perpetuated on the public through arbitration and other such nonsense. Plain and simple – if you are a bad cop you are gone!
Your survey is biased obviously Brian.
If the individuals that suffered unjust treatment by the police would have followed the officers instructions there would not have been an issue…….
unless forces from the dark side are causing so much hate for our system of law and order which guarantees freedom and liberty that individuals cannot control themselves to obey the law.
Planes fly daily out of Alaska and maybe you should take your hateful message where someone cares.
Courage. Rote courage. Thank you, sir.
You know Ed, the reason why the police have an MRAP at their disposal is because too many officers were getting killed when responding to active shooter situations. It’s a safety device for them, not to intimidate the public. If a person feels intimidated by the police in an armored vehicle, maybe they ought to call the department and ask to talk to someone and get educated about it.
I bet you’re one of these guys that hates the police till they need them.
Still resorting to name calling just because someone comes up with an intelligent response. When or why did you become anti government? What transpired? Are you hiding from someone or some organization? Curious minds want to know.
I like this guy.
The armor keeps the police safe. Don’t like it, stop breaking the law. And put on the masks. You will like it better than a respirator.
Get real. JPD has no armored vehicles. Just some regular cars, a couple parking enforcement scooters, a ford ranger pickup, and some mountain bikes.
Wow…..
That went south fast. There’s a difference between an opinion and an assault. When it comes to the article Jerry Nankervis , didn’t go out to support bad officers. He was supporting something he dedicated his life and career to. That’s commendable and I applaud him for it. Not every officer is bad , as a matter of fact there are so many good ones. I’ve had family in military and law enforcement. These people put themselves in danger on a daily basis, not knowing if they’ll see a tommorow. That dedication to public service should be appreciated. Placing all police in a box is the same as placing all races in a box. Assuming one bad individual represents an entire group is short sighted and ignorant. And people who are childish and call people names or bully people for their comments, are the biggest part of the problem nowadays. These attitudes are runing rampant, from the very top of political structure to individual citizens. No matter the party or purpose, there needs to be more respect. More respect for yourself and more respect for others. It’s cowardice and ignorance that allows for someone to sit anonymously on the other side of the computer screen or a phone, and bully someone and make fun of them for their thoughts and views. Perhaps you should try some Kool-Aid..
Way to go Jerry, next time please spread the word a bit and I bet many others will join you in showing support for JPD.
Thanks for taking the lead.
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