Initial Report and Recommendations - Alaska Department of Law

schedule of two weeks on followed by two weeks of leave. This would allow for Trooperavailability approximately 80 percent of the time, with a 20 percent absence to accountfor court time, leave, weather, and similar events. This recommendation embraces theconcept of “Community Oriented Policing,” reduces response times, and provides asignificantly enhanced law enforcement presence than has been possible in the past. 119The Commission recognizes the benefits of locating public safety and justiceresponsibilities in combined or shared facilities in rural areas. The advantages are fargreater than simple cost savings for lease or construction costs. The intangible benefitsinclude enhanced communication and interaction. Likewise, victims of crime ormembers of the public attempting to navigate through “the system” can also be greatlyaided when agencies are in one location. The benefits of participating agencies learningand respecting the missions and challenges of other agencies, although difficult toquantify, are unmistakable. The Commission recommends that the concept of a RegionalUnified Justice Center be considered whenever affected agencies consider constructionprojects in rural communities.The Commission recommends that at least some of the funding for infrastructuredevelopment for rural law enforcement services described in the preceding list should beprovided by the Denali Commission, and the Regional Housing Authorities should beinvolved in developing new housing opportunities for village-based police and publicsafety officers. 120Public testimony and reports reviewed by the Commission indicated that manylitigants appearing in tribal and state court believe that judges and staff are not adequatelytrained in domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual abuse and do not consistently applylaws that are intended to help victims. The Commission recommends consistent training,provided no less often than annually, for all relevant court personnel and judges,coordinated with the Council for Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse and the AlaskaNetwork on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Additionally, the Alaska CourtSystem should hold a forum in rural Alaska for judges and court personnel to discussissues affecting victims of domestic violence/sexual assault and child abuse. 121There is a need for more culturally sensitive forensic services in remotecommunities statewide to ensure better protection for domestic violence, sexual assault,and child abuse victims. The Commission recommends the establishment of a rovingposition within each region for a highly trained forensic investigator who has cultural119 Recommendation 44.120 Recommendation 45.121 Recommendation 46. The Commission commends the court system for having partnered with theCDVSA and others to hold a series of interagency domestic violence forums in rural Alaska. The courtsystem, as part of its Children in Alaska’s Courts project last year, held regional forums in Barrow andBethel (as well as Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau) to discuss a variety of concerns about children,giving specific attention to domestic violence and child abuse issues. The Commission acknowledgesthat state court judges and appropriate court system personnel receive regular, ongoing training ondomestic violence, child abuse and sexual abuse at court-sponsored judicial, magistrate and clerks’conferences, at the annual Alaska Bar Conference, through attendance at local training programs here inAnchorage, at the National Judicial College in Reno, at seminars sponsored by the Violence AgainstWomen Office, and at other workshops and trainings throughout the U.S.Alaska Rural Justice and Law Enforcement Commission - Page 58