The current housing situation in Skagway has left the city in a tough possession when it comes to law enforcement coverage.
Councilman Dan Henry told members of the Skagway Borough Assembly on May 15 the city was struggling to field a full police force due to tight housing conditions. Currently, the Skagway Police Department is down to a skeleton crew with just four officers with the May 15 departure of former officer Rick Ackerman.
“To say we are strapped for coverage would be about as gross of an understatement I could make,” said Henry. “The leads, to this point, are few and far between and the few we do get to entertain, of course, are cut short with our inability to house a family or even a single individual that wants to come to Skagway to be a police officer.”
Henry said it would behoove the city to begin looking at options to create housing, including creating townhouses near the school ball fields.
“We stand behind the 8-ball,” said Henry, noting the city was at least 18 months away from beginning on other housing projects. “The rubber band has been stretched as far as it can be stretched.”
Currently, the Skagway Police Department consists of Chief Jerry (J.J.) Reddick, Officer Rousher, Officer James Michels and Officer Ken Cox, who was currently battling an illness.