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City of Anchorage to keep two federal gang prosecutors

by Leyla Santiago
Thursday, November 5, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The City of Anchorage says it's not budging on gang violence.

As it stands today, the city budget includes two attorneys who prosecute gang violence cases on a federal level.

Mayor Dan Sullivan says they're not going anywhere, despite questioning from the Assembly.

The U.S. Attorney says a grant originally helped pay the salary of these prosecutors, but things have changed.

Over the years, federal funding has gone down, and police say gangs continue to pop up around Anchorage.

In June of 2007 a group attacked and shot a 23-year-old man at a gas station in Mountain View.

Police say it was a gang.

"One youth says to another that ‘that's gangsta,' and that's a good term. It kind of breaks our heart because we'd like to see that not be a good term because generally gangs and what they bring are not good," said Steve Smith, acting APD chief.

That's why the city says it won't budge on the budget when it comes to prosecuting gangs.

"Our two city prosecutors working with the federal government, that's staying," Sullivan said.

Anchorage shells out money every year to help pay for two prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's office.

It allows, in many cases, for tougher punishment on gang activity.

Since 2007, the attorneys have prosecuted 104 cases, but the program has seen a drop in federal funding.

"I understand the gang prosecutions in federal court and I know they're well-supported, but I don't know if they're really the kind of thing that we can both afford to do and how effective are they?," said Assemblyman Dan Coffey.

"Our best efforts are wasted if they're not prosecuted, and so in the criminal justice team and the law enforcement team, the prosecutors are a critical component," Smith said.

For the U.S. Attorney in the District of Alaska, Karen Loeffler, federal and state budget cuts from a similar state program have already taken away one prosecutor.

"Originally it was 100 percent funded by federal monies. It was a similar program, only it was statewide, and that's the state's decision," Loeffler said.

But the city's decision stands: Gangs in Anchorage continue to go up against the feds.

Contact Leyla Santiago at lsantiago@ktuu.com