[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6024616,"mediaKeyId","5759331-1b3861a25d12af7bd027412e78c03683","parentId",5759331,"title","Officials report few arrests under camping ordinance as provider and public commenters warn of shelter gaps","audioSeconds",2806,"startMs",3359000,"endMs",6165000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5759331-1b3861a25d12af7bd027412e78c03683&start=3359&end=6165","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5759331-1b3861a25d12af7bd027412e78c03683/thumbnail_3359000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6024616/Anchorage-Municipality/Alaska/Officials-report-few-arrests-under-camping-ordinance-as-provider-and-public-commenters-warn-of-shelter-gaps","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6024616-829693b10547816aea44acdbefea237d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770500732&Signature=laXIuWsmV9qVD-kZWM1ev21WMhUXklcngDZeFNGocWQQaIalG8FeM4ogZagiE7CpJJ5Q0yJEN4dEUL6RyNG6SzguULmmjFZZ7RCraN6I1aqG-geb0INU1zVV8NkJcpEYSl5DH8CQ4osPI9kfMCykBfVueM5qBjWb0425SrE1lzbzbFBqPbad1Sd28pv1vdumwn6F18JRZx7uG6amlcodH5uVtVk3jNdaPkrgKTbz4bxZZSGIxIkf037lo7NDaWSuTDtOSEHW~gG0Fh29VbRNHKbzwVs3jtbPXoRs8xGO8VzmMT7LcBEdmvpXjlAqmVNZg3z-1BlstGqBEqdhyXHo4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Municipality of Anchorage","date","2025-09-04T09:01:10Z","article","Anchorage police told the Assembly committee on Sept. 3 that enforcement of the municipal camping ordinance (AO 2025‑74 S2) has resulted in very low arrest numbers to date, and committee members and a public commenter expressed concern about shelter capacity and expiring rental‑assistance funds as winter approaches.

When asked for an update on AO 2025‑74 S2, Chief Sean Case said the number of arrests or citations tied specifically to enforcement of that ordinance is \"very low\" — he estimated it may be one or only a small number of incidents. Case said enforcement is coordinated with community‑assistance teams (CAP) that work with people experiencing homelessness and that officers prioritize responses by dispatch priority. He added the department and CAP are beginning to align winter outreach and enforcement planning.

Public comment and shelter capacity: Jamie Lopez, a public commenter, told the committee that coalition and shelter data have been inconsistently reported and warned that several temporary funding streams are ending. Lopez said an Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) tranche is set to expire Sept. 30 and described a reduction in paid shelter beds compared with last year: she summarized that paid municipal shelter capacity available last year was about 532 beds and said that the current capacity figure is lower (Lopez cited multiple program names and approximate bed counts during her three‑minute comment). Lopez urged the city to add beds or otherwise prepare for winter.

Committee members acknowledged the concern and agreed the city must plan for winter sheltering needs. Chief Case said the administration is assessing options and that more updates will be provided in coming meetings; no new enforcement policy or immediate expansion of shelter contracts was adopted at the Sept. 3 session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Health & Safety Committee Meeting Sep 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","APD told the committee Sept. 3 that enforcement under AO 2025‑74 S2 (the camping ordinance) has produced very few arrests so far; a public commenter warned of reduced shelter capacity and expiring rental‑assistance funds ahead of winter.","taxTitle","Anchorage Municipality, Alaska","taxId",2653,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6024621,"Office of Emergency Management urges Anchorage to join Oct. 16 ShakeOut earthquake drill",246,3951000,4197000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5759331-1b3861a25d12af7bd027412e78c03683&start=3951&end=4197","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5759331-1b3861a25d12af7bd027412e78c03683/thumbnail_3951000.jpg","/articles/6024621/Anchorage-Municipality/Alaska/Office-of-Emergency-Management-urges-Anchorage-to-join-Oct-16-ShakeOut-earthquake-drill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6024621-ad6fc78a462b4b5123f38a9a21b1266a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770500732&Signature=SLVVxB7azsbxPDCMssoGa0Rv5Kxy9ruHfPDk-ucn4sb5YzeFveNUKhtCayFZ85rjCaXSOmUIbn~sS7uM~PzI2Ah~9oGfiW6kr7Zu68qFtjcaRA308Mi7uQPVIOqbtKtSFKLWL~tZZok4FeqxVKfESrnX89FX8E5sJkrwM5012ZzhXfLWFtWmwqdEcsPFkbfvo8DYqTU8zqppj7z0goWJDD0Vz7xGKOQ0XCQcyumzmnQYbmhb~yzA3AojdvRbWgDXv3fDJuQ06SKUeTMGj1DlgurONIrPN9G6F4IhH58cpGpk1B8y0VfWNll7OtOgTZKeFkhCUhxouYAmA0QlUsvMqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Anchorage Office of Emergency Management asked municipal leaders on Sept. 3 to promote participation in the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill, recommending Oct. 16 as the day for organizations and residents to practice the \"Drop, Cover and Hold On\" response.

Amanda Loach (Office of Emergency Management) said earthquakes are a \"no‑notice\" hazard in Anchorage and that the ShakeOut campaign helps build muscle memory across workplaces, schools, houses of worship and neighborhoods. \"If every municipal department, school and business knows exactly what to do, we will save lives and speed recovery,\" she said, noting that ShakeOut resources and multimedia materials are available at shakeout.org.

Loach said Anchorage had more than 54,000 registered participants and organizations as of the meeting and encouraged municipal departments to register and model preparedness exercises. The presentation urged simple actions — conducting a one‑minute Drop‑Cover‑Hold On practice, reviewing evacuation and business continuity plans, and promoting ShakeOut messaging in public communications.

No formal action was taken; emergency management staff said they would coordinate promotional materials and outreach with departments and community partners.","Emergency management staff told the committee that ShakeOut is a simple, annual drill to build community preparedness and that more than 54,000 Anchorage participants and organizations were registered as of the Sept. 3 meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6024626,"ACE Fund board reports first year distributions: subsidies, operational grants and pilots underway",376,4240000,4616000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5759331-1b3861a25d12af7bd027412e78c03683&start=4240&end=4616","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5759331-1b3861a25d12af7bd027412e78c03683/thumbnail_4240000.jpg","/articles/6024626/Anchorage-Municipality/Alaska/ACE-Fund-board-reports-first-year-distributions-subsidies-operational-grants-and-pilots-underway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6024626-b8939e9633aa52984c35782e8227968f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770500732&Signature=nDDcVoAIiKjEhiMWvfsVcW4HI~u9cTA-aVHcHyADY54-1KgDP-kOceNjunqvPcosjGyUUgJuCelBjWIIeJJMY0-VvwnL6N6alo2Fpqspa7jFSoyLHTkI6FsQfoT3-FyVAMJf1EMnPWNgwnyiv086fvoTpjlJV9EAWbdqAOgiOv7~sLNUsKt5FjLaJ5JzA03Fbig9AdUUkA-qp4cY1Ep6IOYcmftOXQfsixiDKNo~-mTJqlDAmIivkGcpvcbdcRQBBcYKmIOEFizhAVB2fwB2M3TqPMoZR7qhKQ3qLdRN~zo1S3Kgip6IEGsbu4LkloKxs-KJ0DyKOlnL7G-fj4loKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Anchorage Child Care and Early Education Fund board reported progress Sept. 3 on its first‑year implementation: initial payments have gone out for an early‑educator subsidy, a $2.4 million operational assistance pool has begun distribution through Thread Alaska, and the board recommended funding for capital and pilot projects after a competitive round.

Board chair Trevor Storrs said the early‑educator subsidy — administered by Alaska Family Services because of that agency’s role managing the state child‑care assistance program locally — has enrolled 76 workers so far and is paying care for 119 children. The board designed the subsidy to retain child‑care workers who also have children in care and to expand available slots by enabling workers to stay employed. Payments are monthly and recipients must participate in data collection for an evaluation the board plans to report on in the fall.

Operational assistance and pilots: Storrs said Thread Alaska is distributing a $2.4 million one‑time operational assistance pool in the same manner it administered COVID‑era relief, and that checks began mailing roughly two weeks before the meeting and should be complete by mid‑September. The board issued an RFGP (request for grant proposals) that drew 48 proposals totaling just over $5 million; an evaluation committee recommended funding 13 capital projects and 7 pilot projects. The board said eligibility included licensed centers, family home providers and license‑exempt nonrelative providers; it also allowed camps to apply.

Board members and health‑department staff acknowledged administrative challenges: several applicants lacked insurance coverage required by municipal contracting, which delayed some agreements, and the BidExpress application platform posed accessibility issues for smaller or non‑English‑speaking providers. The municipality and the Anchorage Health Department plan to hire a grants‑and‑contracts administrator funded within the ACE budget to streamline future rounds.

Next steps: the board is undertaking a strategic‑planning process this month to guide investment priorities, is preparing its first municipal budget submission for 2026, and has opened a search for a permanent executive director to replace the interim director, Austin Quinn Davidson. The board emphasized the program will continue to collect outcome data and refine program design.","The Anchorage Child Care and Early Education (ACE) Fund board told the committee Sept. 3 it has started distributing subsidies and one‑time operational payments, enrolled early‑educator workers in a subsidy program and recommended capital and pilot grants after receiving 48 proposals.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6024631,"Outdoor fires spike; fire chief says ordinance AO 2025‑61 has shown no clear deterrent effect",132,3478000,3610000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5759331-1b3861a25d12af7bd027412e78c03683&start=3478&end=3610","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5759331-1b3861a25d12af7bd027412e78c03683/thumbnail_3478000.jpg","/articles/6024631/Anchorage-Municipality/Alaska/Outdoor-fires-spike-fire-chief-says-ordinance-AO-202561-has-shown-no-clear-deterrent-effect","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6024631-ce400f60c7766db9de30927fcdf096fe/orig.mp4?Expires=1770500732&Signature=gx4nshwFCENOPb66bU-M2-G25XmUr~brD~XnQXSosJsXP1l0R6KweFEozLCZOSi8107V08jzNtGUK-ZMS2lmG71zDI4778vYNI9va~~1NW0VpKFfAHy-PHKCuQUUVhnGgOPSGZvp9xfIPzVkF5~iGOioMJ2rveHaRt97jeHskaGgXb2znzCS~Hu1wjzgo0klnK1ZYM3V8fyWp2cnl7yWbL7VjVCiNFK0fPjReziqqbFajQ0RY2-d2-5a0wVtkDgdGXzx0SGvjiVx18I1-C6-00LRoPwGoX5ClJde6dTbNpLLVfgkJaIz2wStiV4IRlNWsC1CxR-0V9X16fc6A9egPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Anchorage Fire Department told the Assembly Public Safety Committee on Sept. 3 that outdoor fires have increased sharply compared with the same period last year, and that the recently adopted outdoor‑burn ordinance (AO 2025‑61) has not yet produced a measurable deterrent effect.

Chief Shrong (Anchorage Fire Department) said the department reviewed outdoor‑fire incidents and found 637 outdoor fires through Aug. 31, 2024; during the same period in 2025 the department recorded a roughly 70% increase in outdoor fires. The chief highlighted May and July comparisons: May 2024 had 120 outdoor fires while May 2025 had 159 (+33%); July 2024 had 109 and July 2025 had 257 (+36%). \"Outdoor fires have become our leading fire call type,\" the chief said.

Policy and enforcement process: Chief Shrong outlined the department’s practice: when firefighters determine a fire is unauthorized and there are identifiable people on scene, the fire department will request APD to respond; if no person is present who could be held responsible, APD is not routinely called. Shrong said the U.S. Marshals placement of cameras at a seized property (the Chelsea Inn) is for evidence collection and does not equate to active public monitoring.

APD response and citation levels: Committee members asked APD how many citations or arrests had resulted from enforcement of AO 2025‑61. Chief Sean Case told the committee the number of APD citations for unauthorized burning is \"very low\" and may be zero or a handful. Both departments noted logistical limits: fire incidents are often stabilized by arrival of firefighters, reducing the immediate public‑safety risk, and APD priorities in the dispatch stack can limit timely enforcement follow‑up.

Assembly questions and next steps: Members asked whether APD could stage targeted enforcement events similar to traffic speed enforcement to increase deterrence. APD representatives said proactive enforcement of camps or repeated rounds of targeted enforcement are possible but raise concerns about equitable application and resource tradeoffs. Fire and APD staff said they will share more detailed incident data with the committee to help prioritize response locations.

No formal vote was taken. The fire department agreed to provide the underlying incident data to the committee at the chair’s request.","Anchorage Fire Department reported a 70% year‑over‑year rise in outdoor fires through late summer and told the committee the new outdoor‑burn ordinance has not yet reduced incidents; coordination and enforcement logistics with APD remain a challenge.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6024636,"Anchorage outlines pre‑arrest diversion pilot as Narcan administrations climb",316,3061000,3377000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5759331-1b3861a25d12af7bd027412e78c03683&start=3061&end=3377","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5759331-1b3861a25d12af7bd027412e78c03683/thumbnail_3061000.jpg","/articles/6024636/Anchorage-Municipality/Alaska/Anchorage-outlines-prearrest-diversion-pilot-as-Narcan-administrations-climb","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6024636-8a920bcb6f06fe720f88bfbd29c83ed4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770500732&Signature=VmQnjWWd5IoBjtoyKLxisOryhQoc0pbV87CR3zSSlIW-mY3A682CzaZJGSy~MeXnXRtBCPnVZCYRG4Hl9seg1Rs18laPdVCbj7JqXIPa~TWLXvUrKHn8ZJORKhO~qtIieCRcRFCncp6AM4evK8v2AJQb1Rnp-plwOxOwJSXttbvzfxRVdsEzq-fPfniRqCC2-sKUFpjMILysB897DOUx6MJjQg9MGwlJnXt8LaXzzpoYnYPtyxH880km~uXvw4i3kxt~UnGtGtHJO0-d61L8s2Ya3SAnRN7RBvhNMUoSx0PyO1UMdnfVjL-w3rJ1fA60h-1iJL9ecf7fxtIJsbs5DQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Anchorage officials on Sept. 3 presented a plan to pilot a pre‑arrest diversion program directed at low‑level, nonviolent offenses, saying the effort aims to connect people to treatment or community services rather than moving immediately through prosecution. The presenters said emergency responders and community partners have seen a sharp rise in overdose responses in recent years and that new treatment beds are coming online locally.

The program will initially be limited to specialty units — the Mobile Intervention Team (MIT), the Hope outreach team and a new Impact team — before a wider rollout to patrol, speakers said. \"Diversion is creating opportunities outside the criminal‑justice system to change behavior,\" said Chief Sean Case of the Anchorage Police Department, who described diversion as an option that leaves traditional prosecution as an available path if diversion fails or if victims request prosecution.

Why it matters: presenters said public and responder data show increasing opioid and behavioral‑health incidents that are straining emergency resources. Officials argued diversion could reduce repeat arrests and lessen downstream impacts on courts and the Department of Corrections while connecting people to care.

APD and mayoral staff described local indicators they said show rising overdose responses: fire‑department data presented at the meeting show public Narcan administrations rose from about 50 incidents per year to nearly 450 between 2020 and 2024, and AFD transports for overdoses increased over the same period. Officials said APD dispatch receives roughly 20,000 calls a month and that hundreds of those are flagged as behavioral‑health calls; MIT and related mobile teams have absorbed an increasing share of those responses since MIT began in 2022. Presenters also said existing post‑arrest diversion programs (mental‑health court, veterans court and specialty felony courts) have a combined capacity of about 150 participants.

The Chelsea Inn federal case was cited as an example of local drug enforcement activity and a reason for continued outreach and treatment connections. \"The Chelsea unit has been boarded, fenced and has cameras placed by the U.S. Marshals,\" Case said, and he said the federal seizure process could take about a year before the property is transferred to federal control. Case said the U.S. Marshals provide camera feeds for evidence and that APD would take enforcement action when footage documents trespass or damage.

Program features and limits: APD's diversion proposal focuses primarily on misdemeanors and nonviolent offenses but does not categorically exclude every felony — some felony diversionary pathways already exist in the state (for example, certain felony DUI/diversion programs and mental‑health court tracks). \"We're going to stick mostly to misdemeanor crimes,\" said Case, while noting room for case‑by‑case judgment. Officers in the specialty units will explain diversion options to victims at the time of contact; victims who request prosecution would still be able to pursue charges through the standard private‑person arrest and prosecution process.

Funding and capacity concerns: assembly members pressed presenters on who will pay for treatment and community services. Thea Agnew, a special assistant to the mayor, said many treatment services are covered by Medicaid and that new providers are expanding capacity in Anchorage: True North Recovery, Anchorage Recovery Center and Salvation Army bed expansion were among entities named; a Lower‑48 provider, Emend (spelled E‑M‑E‑N‑D in the meeting), is exploring a downtown residential site. Agnew said the municipal administration is also converting city‑owned sites into recovery residences. Assembly members and Chief Case flagged continuing challenges: some people lack insurance or face enrollment barriers, and the state has recently reduced some grant funding and is conducting a behavioral‑health rate study with possible changes expected in the next three months.

Rollout and measurement: APD said the Impact team will begin with a small staffing footprint (a nine‑person start) and expand later; initial diversion activity will be measured against arrest and booking data, particularly the share of misdemeanor bookings. Presenters said they will contain the rollout to trained specialty units to reduce inconsistent application and will collect outcome data to evaluate recidivism, bed usage and program throughput. \"When we invest in mobile intervention teams, we're getting better results for people in crisis and seeing patrol calls in that category go down,\" Thea Agnew said.

Questions and caveats: assembly members raised concerns about victims' rights, how diversion addresses incapacitated people (for example, those unable to consent due to mental‑health crisis), and whether diversion could be imposed when someone lacks capacity; presenters said MIT and Hope already conduct informal diversionary work and that outreach and repeated contacts are often needed to place people into treatment. Members also asked about enforcement overlap with the camping ordinance and about how diversion will relate to winter outreach and sheltering needs.

The city did not take a formal vote Sept. 3. Officials said the next steps will be limited pilot implementation through specialty units, continued engagement with state and nonprofit providers to expand capacity, and return reporting to the committee as the program is scaled.

","Officials told the Anchorage Assembly Public Safety Committee Sept. 3 that a limited pre‑arrest diversion pilot will start with specialty units while the city expands treatment capacity after a rise in overdose responses and large drug seizures.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Officials report few arrests under camping ordinance as provider and public commenters warn of shelter gaps

Office of Emergency Management urges Anchorage to join Oct. 16 ShakeOut earthquake drill

ACE Fund board reports first year distributions: subsidies, operational grants and pilots underway

Outdoor fires spike; fire chief says ordinance AO 2025‑61 has shown no clear deterrent effect

Anchorage outlines pre‑arrest diversion pilot as Narcan administrations climb