Homer, Alaska - News - Seldovia police chief 'back in the saddle' 05/07/08

Story last updated at 11:53 PM on Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Seldovia police chief 'back in the saddle'

BY MICHAEL ARMSTRONG
STAFF WRITER

A week after a fatal car crash in Seldovia and almost a month after he had been placed on paid leave, Seldovia Police Chief Andy Anderson returned to work last Saturday.

"It's good to be back in the saddle," Anderson said this week.

Anderson, 61, has served Seldovia for almost 29 years as police chief and is the town's only police officer. Alaska State Troopers provided law enforcement in his absence. Troopers investigated a fatal accident on April 24 that killed Laramie Morrison, 28, when he lost control of his Chevrolet near Mile 1 Jakolof Bay Road and hit a tree. Toxicology and DNA tests for the crash are still being done.

Anderson said had he been on duty, he would have been the first police officer to respond to the Morrison accident, but that troopers would have assisted him in the investigation. It is his policy to ask for trooper assistance in any fatal accident. Anderson routinely works with troopers and has a trooper commission to respond to crimes in the Seldovia area.

"We work really hand-in-glove," he said. "They've always worked well with us. I hope they (the troopers) feel the same way."

City officials put Anderson on leave April 9 pending allegations made against him. Seldovia City Manager Howard Davis had no comment on the nature of the allegations or the investigation the city did of Anderson. Seldovia Mayor Dick Wyland also said he could not officially comment at this time.

Anderson said the investigation had to do with comments he made about a former city employee and the city investigated him because of those comments.

"They (city officials) felt they might have generated liability for the city by my giving information on a past employee," Anderson said. "They found I didn't libel the city or myself."

Anderson said he's been told the official investigation is over, but he hasn't seen anything in writing yet.

Some Seldovia residents started a petition asking that Anderson be put back to work. Anderson said he was pleased by the support people showed him.

"I am overwhelmed and humbled by all the support I've had. It's unbelievable the numbers that have come out, through signatures on a petition or on letters, or just verbally openly supporting me," he said. "Even those people I've arrested and had gone to court have signed this petition," Anderson added.

Now that he's back on the job, Anderson said the city has quieted down.

"I think it's calming down," he said. "I think a police presence is essential. You're in an area if you take the padlock off the door, people will go in."

"Protection of the people," Anderson added. "That's what this job is all about."

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.

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