The Anchorage Police Department (APD) needs to hear from you to get their body-worn camera policy right. At tonight's public listening session, Anchorage residents will have an opportunity to provide input to APD's current draft of the bodycam policy – which needs work.

APD Public Listening Session

Let the APD know what the community needs from bodycams to ensure accountability and transparency.

Tonight, Wednesday, June 16, 6 – 8 p.m.
(Doors open at 5 p.m.)

Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School
4025 E Northern Lights Boulevard
Anchorage, AK 99508

Testifying instructions: Anyone interested in testifying must register at the entrance of the auditorium when you arrive. APD is requesting that all in-person attendees follow CDC guidelines.

While having the cameras is a good first step, bodycams only work as a tool for transparency and accountability if the policy requires it. And as the policy is currently drafted, it fails to ensure that that is how bodycams are used. You can read more about how APD can get the policy right in this two-pager.

Watch this community conversation with ACLU of Alaska Advocacy Director Michael Garvey, and ACLU national's Senior Policy Counsel for surveillance, privacy, and technology, Chad Marlow, to learn more about what needs to be in the policy to improve policing in Anchorage. Please note: This link will take you to a third-party website, vimeo.com.

We want to highlight that testifying at tonight's public listening session is only possible in person, which means a significant number of residents will not have an opportunity to contribute input because of childcare needs, a disability, lack of transportation, or COVID concerns. APD needs to do better. But for tonight, we do not expect you to go if you are not comfortable doing so because of COVID concerns. If you do go, we recommend following CDC guidelines for large events.

The listening session will be live-streamed on APD's Facebook page. Please note: This link will take you to a third-party website, facebook.com.