Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that representatives from the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, DEA, and ATF jointly held three events in Anchorage this week as part of National Community Policing Week.
As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to building stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve, the Department of Justice will lead nearly 400 events in support of community policing efforts around the country. To further that effort, President Obama has designated the week of Oct. 2-8, 2016, as National Community Policing Week. The week is also an extension of the Attorney General’s 12-city Community Policing Tour that highlighted collaborative programs and policing practices designed to advance public safety, strengthen police-community relations, and foster mutual trust and respect between law enforcement and citizens. National Community Policing Week builds on President Obama’s efforts to engage with law enforcement and other members of the community to implement key recommendations from the 21st Century Policing Task Force report.
Community policing is a public safety philosophy based on partnership and cooperation between law enforcement and the communities that they are sworn to protect. At the center of community policing is the idea that all members of the community, both officer and civilian, have a stake in the safety of their neighborhoods where they live and work.
Representatives from the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, DEA, and ATF jointly held the following community policing events in Anchorage:
Presentations at FBI Citizens Academy
On Tuesday, Oct. 4, representatives from each law enforcement agency gave a 30-minute presentation at the FBI Citizens Academy. The presentations included an overview of each agency’s mission, work, and how the Department of Justice law enforcement agencies work together, specifically in the District of Alaska. Following the presentations, there was a Q&A session.
Child ID Event and Presentations
On Wednesday, Oct. 5, the U.S. Marshals Service, DEA, ATF, and FBI gave presentations at Northwood ABC Elementary to roughly 90 students about drug and firearm safety, as well as personal safety via the KidSmartz child safety program that educates families about preventing abductions and empowers kids to make safe choices. Following the presentations, the students were fingerprinted under the Child ID program through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The fingerprinted cards were then sent home with the students, along with educational and awareness pamphlets about personal and internet safety, for their parents.
Kids Kitchen Event
On Thursday, Oct. 6, representatives from each law enforcement agency volunteered at Kids Kitchen, located at the Fairview Recreation Center, helping to set up, serve food, and clean up, while mentoring and interacting with over 65 children. Kids Kitchen is a nonprofit organization in Anchorage dedicated to providing nutritional meals at no cost for children. In addition to volunteering, the group donated food based off Kids Kitchen’s monthly food needs list online.
“This week and these events highlight our continuing work to further connect our citizens and law enforcement in our joint efforts to provide a safe and healthy environment in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Loeffler.
Additional information can be found on www.kidsmartz.org and www.kidskitchenak.com. For more information on National Community Policing Week or the Community Policing Tour, please visit https://www.justice.gov/ag/community-policing-tour.