Anchorage's police union endorsed Ethan Berkowitz for mayor Monday, an announcement that prompted Berkowitz's opponent, Amy Demboski, to link him to former Mayor Mark Begich.
Jeff Bell, vice president of the Anchorage Police Department Public Employees Association, said at a Monday afternoon news conference that the city needs a "commitment to make the necessary investment in the Anchorage Police Department to the level where the citizens of Anchorage feel safe."
"All mayoral candidates have emphasized public safety as a priority," Bell said. "Ethan has a specific plan for the city and police department moving forward."
Berkowitz said at the press conference that his plan includes increasing the number of police officers to "more than 400," bringing back specialty units for gang, theft and drug crimes, and focusing on community policing. The city budget currently provides for 374 officers.
Asked how he planned to fund a larger department, Berkowitz said projected surpluses in the city budget "should put us in that direction." He also said the city should focus on finding ways to build housing for people who are currently living on the street, which he said would save money in the long term.
Anchorage's firefighter union endorsed Berkowitz about two weeks before the April 7 election. Bell said the police union held off on its endorsement to give the community a chance to talk about public safety concerns.
In a statement emailed by a spokesman, Demboski responded to the police endorsement by tying Berkowitz to former Mayor Mark Begich, whose fiscal policies she criticized.
"It is no surprise that the same people who endorsed Mark Begich are endorsing Ethan Berkowitz," Demboski said.
She continued: "Despite union leadership, the great men and women in the police and fire departments know that as the spouse of a firefighter, I understand the resources they need to do their job in a safe and effective manner." Demboski's husband, Ben Demboski, is a captain in the Anchorage Fire Department and a member of the firefighters union.
Demboski took credit for "eight new paramedics on the street because of legislation I authored and helped pass while on the Assembly." She said public safety is her "number one priority."
Demboski's spokesman, David Boyle, did not immediately provide a response to a request for more information about whether Demboski would seek to increase the size of the police department and how she would pay for it. Demboski has said in the past that the department doesn't have enough officers, but she has stayed away from citing a specific target number, saying that the focus should instead be on how the officers are deployed.
Demboski has also said that she would seek to re-establish specialty units dismantled in recent years because of reduced staffing.
The police union endorsement is the latest sign of union support for Berkowitz. Campaign disclosure reports filed before the April 7 election showed Berkowitz received campaign contributions from at least 13 political action committees affiliated with unions.