The Municipality of Anchorage has agreed to pay more than $5.5 million to 11 women who had been harmed by former Anchorage policeman Anthony Rollins. The victims, whose names are not being released, sued city after an Anchorage jury found Rollins guilty of raping four women while he was on the job from 2006 to 2009.
The victims argued that the Anchorage Police Department had failed to supervise and discipline Rollins. According to a city press release, the story might not be over. "Some of the plaintiffs plan to continue with their lawsuits against Rollins, who was not a party to the settlements," the press release said.
In April, an Anchorage Superior Court judge sentenced Rollins -- who the judge described as "a rapist in blue with a badge" -- to 87 years in prison.
According to the Anchorage Daily News, APD Police Chief Mark Mew told the court during Rollins sentencing hearing that, "Some people will try to shift as much blame as possible from Rollins to the police department, because that's where the money is," a statement that some took as an attempt to intimidate those who might sue the city.
Rollins had been a cop for Anchorage for 13 years. All told, the taxpayers will pay out $5,543,250.