ELECTION: Candidate for governor calls for more law enforcement in Bush, tougher judges.
U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski embraced a get-tough stance on public safety in a campaign speech Wednesday in Eagle River.
Speaking before the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce, the Republican candidate for governor said he wants to increase law enforcement in the Bush, enhance training for public safety officers in villages, expand the prison system, hire more investigators to enforce alcohol laws and update the state's criminal code.
Murkowski also took broad swipes at the state's judges, saying he would change the judicial appointment system to get "candidates for judgeships who are more interested in law enforcement than coddling criminals." He also pointed to "a lack of leadership" in public safety and called the state Corrections Department "an agency characterized by ineffectiveness and wasteful spending."
Murkowski presented few specifics to back up his broad allegations. And his key opponents -- Republican Wayne Anthony Ross and Democrat Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer -- distanced themselves from his attacks on the state's public safety institutions.
But both Ross and Ulmer leapt on the particulars of Murkowski's plan, calling it an adoption of their own goals.
"It's an absolute plagiarism," Ross said, referring to Murkowski's statements on enhancing public safety in the Bush. Ross said he wants to hire 100 new state troopers. Murkowski said nothing about hiring more state troopers, but he wants more training for rural public safety officers and he lamented that 73 of the 165 off-road communities in Alaska have no local police protection.
"There should be no compromise when it comes to public safety in those communities," he said. Murkowski pointed to the link between alcohol and crime and said he wanted to hire more people to crack down on illegal alcohol sales.
Between 1995, when Gov. Tony Knowles and Ulmer took office, and 2001, violent crime has fallen 8 percent statewide, according to Department of Public Safety statistics. Property crimes have fallen 25 percent.
Ulmer has yet to detail her stance on public safety. She said she will after the Aug. 27 primary. Ulmer said she will continue the course of the Knowles administration, which has repeatedly sought more funding for prisons and law enforcement.
Last year, Knowles asked the Republican-controlled Legislature for 20 new troopers, 20 new village public safety officers and 11 constables. The Legislature funded less than a quarter of the request.
"More support for rural Alaska has been a constant goal of our administration. If he wants to criticize, he needs to criticize his Republican colleagues," Ulmer said.
Murkowski said the state can do more for public safety.
Among his goals:
Update the state criminal code with new anti-gang laws and a clarification that felony convictions in other states count toward sentencing in Alaska.
Clear the backlog of work at the state crime lab, which he called "under-funded, understaffed."
Reduce administrative employees, standardize procedures, contract out teaching duties and evaluate all contracts at the Department of Corrections to cut costs.
Expand existing prisons or build a new state prison. Murkowski said he opposes private prisons.
Appoint Judicial Council members who will nominate tougher judges.
Murkowski said that judges appointed in recent years "are insufficiently concerned with law enforcement."
"I think they should be accountable just like politicians are," he said of the judges. He declined to name the judges he believes are not tough enough on law enforcement.
Ross, a defense attorney, dismissed Murkowski's assertion the state's judges are soft.
"I've yet to find a judge who will coddle criminals. I'm a defense attorney. If he knows of any judges like that -- I'd like to find 'em," Ross said.
Murkowski's plan for prison expansion, more training and for more alcohol enforcement personnel appears to require more funding. And in a post-speech press conference, he was not specific about how he would fund his agenda with the state facing a projected $1 billion fiscal gap annually in the coming years.
Murkowski has said he opposes new, broad-based taxes. To fill the gap, he wants more resource development and cuts in the state budget. One funding option would be federal money to help with prison construction, he said. Also, federal prosecutors could take up some of the legal burden now being paid by the state. He also spoke of "efficiencies" to free up money. But he otherwise declined to elaborate on how he would push his public safety agenda while simultaneously cutting the budget.
"To suggest you can't do things that are needed in this state because of a $1 billion budget deficit, you are looking at the wrong way to address the corrections that are needed in Alaska. We've got to get busy and prioritize the things that are needed in Alaska and increase the efficiencies and grow the economy. I'm just telling you rural Alaska needs help and I'm gonna help them," he said. "Let's not talk about rabbit trails of where you're gonna get the money to do this."
Reporter Ben Spiess can be reached at bspiess@adn.com or 907 257-4464.
