House Finance hears DPS FY27 budget; trooper vacancies, VPSO staffing and statewide body‑worn cameras in focus

Juneau — The Alaska Department of Public Safety told the House Finance Committee on Feb. 17 that sustaining statewide law‑enforcement coverage and a new statewide digital evidence platform are central to its FY2027 budget ask.

Commissioner James Cockrell and Administrative Services Director Diana Thornton said the governor’s FY27 proposal totals about $355 million for DPS and includes a $1.3 million unrestricted general fund increment to support an operating contract covering body‑worn and in‑car cameras, cloud storage, redaction and evidence management. "It's a game changer," Cockrell told the committee, adding later, "I think Alaska should require it for all law enforcement officers."

Why it matters: DPS framed the request as necessary for public safety transparency, prosecutorial efficiency and officer accountability across Alaska's large and logistically complex territory. Committee members pressed department leaders on costs, ongoing training needs and whether the program’s recurring costs belong in the operating budget rather than capital appropriations.

Key facts and debate

- Trooper and VPSO staffing: Cockrell said the department has 87 of 90 authorized Village Public Safety Officer positions filled and reported 56 vacant trooper positions statewide. Members discussed recruitment challenges and the department’s use of vacancy authority to manage overtime and long‑term non‑permanent investigators.

- Body‑worn cameras: Thornton described a platform that integrates more than 600 body‑worn cameras and nearly 400 in‑car units so footage can upload to a secure, criminal‑justice-compliant cloud for storage, redaction and prosecutor access. The requested $1.3 million supports the subscription model and ongoing program administration; Thornton said most camera training is conducted in‑house.

- Naloxone and overdoses: In response to Representative Hannan, Cockrell said Alaska state troopers carry naloxone and credited the Department of Health for widespread naloxone distribution that has saved lives.

- Victim services funding: Thornton explained a $169,200 restoration of general‑fund authority for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) tied to reduced restorative‑justice receipts. She also said the Violent Crimes Compensation Board will see about a $592,000 reduction in designated authority because the restorative‑justice account’s available revenue dropped under the statutory formula (citing Alaska Statute 43.23.048). Thornton reported the VCCB FY27 budget as roughly $2.155 million and said the department will provide additional budget detail to the committee.

- Drug interdiction and recent seizures: Cockrell told members DPS recently seized 21 pounds of meth at the Anchorage airport and said drug interdiction remains a priority; members requested a dedicated briefing on interdiction strategy and resource needs.

What the department will provide: Committee members asked DPS to supply overtime cost figures and a memo describing the 12 trooper posts closed about a decade ago (requests the department agreed to fulfill).

Context and next steps: Members praised the accountability value of body‑worn cameras but warned that the program’s subscription and data‑management costs will recur annually and will require ongoing appropriations. DPS said some federal grants may be available in the future but cannot be relied upon for baseline operating costs. The committee paused DPS testimony for a brief recess and then took up the Department of Law presentation.