Assignment # 4 History of Police

In the earlier years, the city of Anchorage had a modest beginning as a tent city and was originally called Ship Creek Landing. The United States Marshals was in charge of the cities law enforcement. On November 23, 1920 Anchorage was incorporated as a first class city.
On December 22, 1920 the city council appointed John Sturgus as chief police effective January 1, 1921.He was a one man police department with a starting salary of $200.00 per month. Shortly after February 20, 1921 he was shot and killed with his own gun. The city council offered a reward totaling $1950.00 in hopes to apprehend his killer. Strurgus death became the first unresolved homicide in Anchorage.
Since then many men served as chief however, in 1926 the city council starting hiring night watchmen during their long winter months October-March. It was not unit the city council received a petition signed by seven property owners to provide a 24 hour police force in June, 1935.
The department did most of their law enforcement on foot or in citizen borrowed cars. They often would utilize taxi services. The month of August, 1930 the department purchased their first used ford vehicle for $63.75. They later purchased a brand new vehicle already equipped with sirens and spotlight in April, 1941 for $1,401.80
In the late 1930’s-early 1940’s the military began building bases which increased Anchorage population of 4,229 (1930) to 30,060 (1950). In 1975 the city of Anchorage merged with The Greater Anchorage Area Borough to form the Municipality of Anchorage. As a result, the city’s population increased Anchorage police department servicing area of 31 square miles to 110 square miles.
As you can see Anchorage police department has came along way and is now the largest police department in Alaska. The department serves over 227,000 residents, with specialized departments ranging from Canine, Speacial weapons and tactics, traffic and crime prevention and many more! (Anchorage Police Dept.)CC&LW

http://www.muni.org/departments/police/pages/default.aspx