Unions representing Alaska's law enforcement and public safety professionals said Monday they are endorsing independent gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker over Republican Gov. Sean Parnell. Representatives of some of those unions said staffs have shrunk statewide, including in Anchorage.
The endorsement is "historic," with all of Alaska's public safety associations coming together behind one campaign, said Jake Metcalfe, executive director of one of the endorsing unions, the Public Safety Employees Association/AFSCME Local 803, representing about 800 first-responders statewide, including Alaska State Troopers and Alaska Wildlife Troopers.
Metcalfe also said the Parnell administration has ignored the union, including its efforts to discuss improving benefits for families of fallen troopers.
Tom Wright, Parnell's campaign manager, in a press statement called the unions' endorsement "certainly disappointing."
"Governor Parnell is continuing to improve the lives of all Alaskans -- union and non-union alike," Wright said. "He has balanced union 'wants' with the need for fiscal restraint, while still supporting the resources many public employee unions rely on to do their jobs safely and effectively."
Walker's announcement came at his campaign headquarters in Anchorage on Monday, where the candidate was flanked by several union members wearing Walker-Mallott campaign buttons. The group included troopers, firefighters, corrections officers, municipal police officers and law enforcement support staff, said a statement from the Walker campaign.
Walker said he was honored to have the groups' support and said it was "pretty unprecedented to have this large an endorsement." He said he has made no concession to the groups, but has committed to meeting regularly and listening to their concerns.
"I think they recognize we're going to be the inclusive administration, not the exclusive administration," Walker said.
Walker said the state has huge budget issues that he plans to address with a fiscal plan. He also said, "It's not always about money. Sometimes it's about safety, sometimes it's about staffing."
"When they put their lives on the line, we want to make sure they're adequately staffed and equipped to do that."
Walker listed the endorsing groups: Public Safety Employees Association, Alaska Correctional Officers Association, Alaska Professional Fire Fighters Association, Anchorage Police Department Employees Association, Alaska State Employees Association and Alaska Public Employees Association/Alaska Federation of Teachers.
Metcalfe said the Public Safety Employees Association is concerned about the staffing levels of troopers and local police under the Parnell administration. He said levels of troopers have not kept up with the growth in the state population and that only about three troopers a year have been added, on average, over the last five years. He said the number of village public safety officers has increased by about 15 a year, but they are not certified officers and are not state employees. More certified police officers are needed, he said.
"That's a huge concern for safety and equal justice for everyone," Metcalfe said. "We have to get back on the right track."
In the release, the Parnell-Sullivan campaign said Parnell's record includes:
•? Championing Senate Bill 22 in 2013, which enhances protection for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, increases penalties for sex trafficking crimes, and strengthens sentencing provisions.
• Increasing state trooper positions and more than doubling the number of VPSOs.
• Ensuring corrections officers are safe by maintaining a ratio of officers to inmates that is consistent and in the top third nationally; this has resulted in no increase of incidents per capita.
• Signing Senate Bill 64, the omnibus crime bill, which adds 24 probation and parole positions, among other things.
Metcalfe noted that three troopers have been killed in the last year and a half. He said the union has written the Parnell administration to address a lack of benefits for families of the fallen troopers, but the administration has not invited the group to address the problem.
"I can't remember one time they've called us up and said we'd like to hear from you," said Metcalfe. "We need that at the state and local level."
In the statement from Walker, the correctional officers association president Sgt. Randy McLellan said, "Our officers are seeing more and more serious incidents due in part to staffing shortages. We're facing more inmate assaults on officers, inmate-on-inmate violence, and inmate deaths. We need a change in leadership" to get a handle on the problem, he said.
How much does the record of Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor and Parnell's running mate, play into the endorsement?
A signature part of the Sullivan administration is Anchorage Ordinance 37 or the "Responsible Labor Act," the proposal that seeks to limit union power. It will be considered by Anchorage voters on the Nov. 4 general election ballot.
Union officials representing public safety employees in Anchorage said manpower and morale have suffered under the Sullivan administration.
Jeff Bell, vice president of the Anchorage Police Department Employees Association, said he's never seen such a polarized environment between the administration and its employees. He said morale is at an all-time low. Uniformed officer positions have fallen by at least 70 during the Sullivan administration, he said.
Tom Wescott, president of the Alaska Professional Fire Fighters Association, said budgeted positions in the Anchorage Fire Department have fallen from 410 in 2008 to about 375. Meanwhile, more response vehicles are on the road, approved by voters in bond packages.
The lack of staffing means everyone is working more overtime, he said.
"They say, 'Oh wages have skyrocketed, but the biggest increase in wages in the Anchorage Fire Department in the last five years are the result of OT," said Wescott.
The concerns expressed by union officials over staffing both statewide and in Anchorage were sent to the Parnell-Sullivan campaign by a reporter. The campaign replied with the press release.
The mayor, through his municipal spokesman, declined to comment, noting the campaign had issued the release.
In the release, Wright said: "The reality is this: When the entire concept of a so-called 'unity ticket' was brought about by the head of the AFL-CIO, it's no wonder to see public employee unions now throwing their support behind Bill Walker."
Wright also said the organizations should be aware that Walker is making promises for "lots of big spending" and "16 percent across-the-board budget cuts."
"What does that do to these public safety jobs, and to the resources the men and women of law enforcement need in order to do their jobs effectively and safely? If everything's on the table for his cuts, that includes municipal revenue sharing, which helps fund city law enforcement," Wright said.
Walker said at the endorsement announcement that he plans to grow the economy on one hand but will also bring people together and listen to their concerns to create a fiscal plan that addresses the state's budget deficit of $7 million a day.
Creating a fiscal plan could take at least a year, Walker said, but he supports having a plan rather than simply hoping that oil prices will rise again and everything will be OK.
Walker said he does not yet know exactly what will need to be cut.
"There's no one single thing you can say I'm going do this this percent, and that that percent. But first you have to admit we have a problem. We have a problem and we have a problem because we have a governor who won't talk about it."