Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at a joint press conference with Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance and Municipal Attorney Eva Gardner on a new state-municipal initiative targeting repeat retail theft and public disorder. Alaska Attorney General Stephen J. Cox was also in attendance. Source: Gov. Mike Dunleavy
By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | March 2026
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – For Anchorage residents and business owners, crime isn’t just a number. It’s the frustration of seeing the same stores hit repeatedly, public spaces feeling unsafe, and daily life disrupted.
This week, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance announced a joint state-municipal initiative targeting repeat retail theft, public disorder, and other quality-of-life challenges in the city.
Focusing on Repeat Offenders
The Anchorage Police Department (APD) has identified roughly 300 repeat offenders responsible for felony-level thefts over the past several years. Since September, a dedicated retail blitz has generated 145 cases totaling over $100,000 in losses, LaFrance said.
“These aren’t one-offs,” said Municipal Attorney Eva Gardner. “These are habitual offenders. Our joint team of state and municipal prosecutors is making sure these cases are carried through to prosecution.”
Two municipal prosecutors are now authorized to bring felony charges, ensuring the strongest possible response to repeat criminal activity.
Addressing the Elephant in the Room
Alaska Attorney General Stephen J. Cox said Anchorage’s challenges are complex: limited law enforcement resources, jurisdictional turf battles, retail theft, public disorder, homelessness, substance abuse, and mental illness.
“Disorder brings crime and order prevents it,” Cox said. “This initiative is focused on the crimes that shape how people experience their city every day. And the central idea is simple: partnership.”
Gov. Dunleavy emphasized that the initiative focuses on the small percentage of individuals driving the problem, not the population at large.
“When we’re talking about theft in a store, it’s not a kid grabbing a candy bar,” Dunleavy said. “You’ve got sophisticated systems at work. The culture of tolerance … just let it alone … that’s coming to an end.”
A Community-Focused Push
Officials say the success of the initiative will ultimately come down to partnership, not just between the state and the city, but with the people who live and work in Anchorage every day.
“A safer Anchorage means a safer Alaska,” Dunleavy said.
