# One Agenda. Two Items. One Vote. > A hearing on Anchorage's police AI rule was set for September 1st, 2026. The camera money passed 8 to 4 that night. The rule got no vote. Published 2026-09-10 by Alaska AI. 9 slides. Canonical: https://alaskaaihq.com/archive/2026-09-10/ ## The story UPDATE. $598,998 passed 8 to 4. The rule got no vote. Three of the four no votes wrote the rule. Keith McCormick, Daniel Volland and Sydney Scout proposed AO 2026-108. All three voted against the money. They lost 8 to 4 on the night of September 1st, 2026. What the money is, and what it is not. The $598,998 comes from federal asset forfeitures, per a memorandum submitted to the Assembly. Chief Sean Case says it moves the crime center to its final location. The Assembly approved $11.8 million last year for the underlying system. ADN reported the Assembly considered a $600,000 ThunderCat contract. 750 is the ceiling, not the count. The gap from 11 to 238 is wider than the gap from 238 to 750. Registered means APD knows the camera exists. Integrated means APD can pull the feed, through a CORE device from Axon. Three gates. None of them struck. ADN reports the ordinance would require Assembly permission before AI with human feature recognition is added to the network. Alaska Public Media reports it would require a warrant before data goes to federal agencies. ADN reports the technology would face a period of temporary approval and annual reporting. CODE. "Let's put this into code now, so that when power changes, when the political winds shift, as they always do, we have protections for the people, no matter who is overseeing and implementing the system." What is already in code. And what is only practice. Municipal use of facial recognition technology was officially banned by the Anchorage Assembly in 2023, per APD's own page. All scanned license plate data is automatically deleted after 14 days. Traffic camera footage is overwritten every 3 to 5 days. The camera registry is voluntary, the owner keeps control at all times, and APD must obtain permission to access video. APD does not use Flock cameras. Fourteen days, read twice. How long a scanned plate lives. Deleted after 14 days, per APD's own page. How long the rule waited. September 1st, 2026 to September 15th, 2026. The rule is expected back on September 15th, 2026. Sponsors plan to bring AO 2026-108 back to the Assembly. Public testimony is how a resident gets read into the record. ## What we verified - APD's own Safe Anchorage page states that all scanned license plate reader data is automatically deleted after 14 days. [Anchorage Police Department](https://www.anchoragepolice.com/safe), primary document, 2026-09-10. - APD's own Safe Anchorage page states that traffic camera footage is overwritten with new footage every 3 to 5 days. [Anchorage Police Department](https://www.anchoragepolice.com/safe), primary document, 2026-09-10. - APD's own Safe Anchorage page states that APD does not use Flock cameras. [Anchorage Police Department](https://www.anchoragepolice.com/safe), primary document, 2026-09-10. - APD's own Safe Anchorage page states that municipal use of facial recognition technology was officially banned by the Anchorage Assembly in 2023. [Anchorage Police Department](https://www.anchoragepolice.com/safe), primary document, 2026-09-10. - APD's own Safe Anchorage page describes a voluntary registry in which the owner keeps control at all times and APD must obtain permission to access video. [Anchorage Police Department](https://www.anchoragepolice.com/safe), primary document, 2026-09-10. - The Anchorage Assembly voted to spend just under $600,000 expanding the police department's real time crime center. [Alaska Public Media](https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2026-09-03/anchorage-assembly-approves-600k-police-crime-center-upgrade-holds-off-on-updating-privacy-protections), report, 2026-09-03. - The Assembly approved the crime center funding by a vote of 8 to 4. [Alaska Public Media](https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2026-09-03/anchorage-assembly-approves-600k-police-crime-center-upgrade-holds-off-on-updating-privacy-protections), report, 2026-09-03. - The Assembly took the crime center funding vote on Tuesday September 1st, 2026. [Alaska Public Media](https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2026-09-03/anchorage-assembly-approves-600k-police-crime-center-upgrade-holds-off-on-updating-privacy-protections), report, 2026-09-03. - Four Assembly members voted against the funding, Sydney Scout, Keith McCormick, Daniel Volland and George Martinez. [Alaska Public Media](https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2026-09-03/anchorage-assembly-approves-600k-police-crime-center-upgrade-holds-off-on-updating-privacy-protections), report, 2026-09-03. - The request was for $598,998 funded through federal asset forfeitures, according to a memorandum submitted to the Assembly. [Anchorage Daily News, Zachariah Hughes](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/31/anchorage-police-and-assembly-members-clash-over-technology-and-surveillance-tools/), report, 2026-08-31. - Must Read Alaska put the appropriation at $598,998.10. [Must Read Alaska, Marcus Moore, opinion](https://mustreadalaska.com/opinion-ordinance-to-protect-privacy-sits-for-public-comment-after-12-4-million-spent-on-police-surveillance/), report, 2026-09-07. - Officials say the real time crime center at full capacity could access up to 750 different cameras across the city. [Alaska Public Media](https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2026-09-03/anchorage-assembly-approves-600k-police-crime-center-upgrade-holds-off-on-updating-privacy-protections), report, 2026-09-03. - Chief Sean Case said the Axon package could accommodate as many as 750 feeds at once but that APD has neither the hardware nor the personnel to come close to that. [Anchorage Daily News, Zachariah Hughes](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/31/anchorage-police-and-assembly-members-clash-over-technology-and-surveillance-tools/), report, 2026-08-31. - Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case told the Assembly in August that code is not going to keep up with technology. [Anchorage Daily News, Zachariah Hughes](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/31/anchorage-police-and-assembly-members-clash-over-technology-and-surveillance-tools/), report, 2026-08-31. - Assembly Vice Chair Daniel Volland said he does not think the city needs to be putting the cart before the horse when it comes to potentially sacrificing people's privacy rights. [Anchorage Daily News, Zachariah Hughes](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/31/anchorage-police-and-assembly-members-clash-over-technology-and-surveillance-tools/), report, 2026-08-31. - Assembly member Sydney Scout said the protections should go into code now so they survive a shift in the political winds. [Alaska Public Media, Wesley Early](https://alaskapublic.org/news/anchorage/2026-08-21/as-anchorage-assembly-weighs-police-surveillance-upgrade-some-members-want-privacy-protections-first), report, 2026-08-21. - The privacy ordinance is numbered AO 2026-108. [Alaska's News Source, Joe Allgood](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/28/looking-inside-anchorage-polices-real-time-crime-center/), report, 2026-08-27. - Volland said he and his co sponsors plan to bring the ordinance back before the Assembly on September 15th. [Alaska Public Media](https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2026-09-03/anchorage-assembly-approves-600k-police-crime-center-upgrade-holds-off-on-updating-privacy-protections), report, 2026-09-03. - The ordinance was proposed by Keith McCormick, Assembly Vice Chair Daniel Volland and North Anchorage member Sydney Scout. [Alaska Public Media](https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2026-09-03/anchorage-assembly-approves-600k-police-crime-center-upgrade-holds-off-on-updating-privacy-protections), report, 2026-09-03. - Mayor Suzanne LaFrance's administration told the Assembly the ordinance would unduly limit some core functions of APD operations. [Alaska Public Media](https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2026-09-03/anchorage-assembly-approves-600k-police-crime-center-upgrade-holds-off-on-updating-privacy-protections), report, 2026-09-03. - ADN reports the ordinance would prevent the police department from adding artificial intelligence technology with human feature recognition capabilities into the network without Assembly permission. [Anchorage Daily News, Bella Biondini](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/20/anchorage-police-may-expand-surveillance-capabilities-some-assembly-members-want-privacy-protections-first/), report, 2026-08-20. - Alaska Public Media reports the ordinance would require that data not be shared with federal agencies without a warrant and that the crime center's use of AI be approved by the Assembly. [Alaska Public Media, Wesley Early](https://alaskapublic.org/news/anchorage/2026-08-21/as-anchorage-assembly-weighs-police-surveillance-upgrade-some-members-want-privacy-protections-first), report, 2026-08-21. - ADN reports the technology would be subject to a period of temporary approval and annual reporting requirements. [Anchorage Daily News, Bella Biondini](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/20/anchorage-police-may-expand-surveillance-capabilities-some-assembly-members-want-privacy-protections-first/), report, 2026-08-20. - The Assembly last year approved $11.8 million for a new system designed to stream up to 750 camera feeds, automatic license plate readers and drone footage. [Anchorage Daily News, Bella Biondini](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/20/anchorage-police-may-expand-surveillance-capabilities-some-assembly-members-want-privacy-protections-first/), report, 2026-08-20. - Roughly 216 residents had registered home security cameras as of ADN's August 20th, 2026 report. [Anchorage Daily News, Bella Biondini](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/20/anchorage-police-may-expand-surveillance-capabilities-some-assembly-members-want-privacy-protections-first/), report, 2026-08-20. - There were 238 cameras registered with APD as of Alaska's News Source's August 27th, 2026 report. [Alaska's News Source, Joe Allgood](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/28/looking-inside-anchorage-polices-real-time-crime-center/), report, 2026-08-27. - Eleven cameras had been integrated with APD as of Alaska's News Source's August 27th, 2026 report. [Alaska's News Source, Joe Allgood](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/28/looking-inside-anchorage-polices-real-time-crime-center/), report, 2026-08-27. - ADN reported the crime center launched in September with one employee and about 15 cameras located at APD properties and Town Square Park. [Anchorage Daily News, Bella Biondini](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/20/anchorage-police-may-expand-surveillance-capabilities-some-assembly-members-want-privacy-protections-first/), report, 2026-08-20. - The Assembly considered a $600,000 contract with ThunderCat Technology to buy new equipment for the Real Time Crime Center on Elmore Road. [Anchorage Daily News, Bella Biondini](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/20/anchorage-police-may-expand-surveillance-capabilities-some-assembly-members-want-privacy-protections-first/), report, 2026-08-20. - ADN reported, citing The New York Times, that there are around 120,000 Flock cameras spread over every state in the country except Alaska. [Anchorage Daily News, Zachariah Hughes](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/31/anchorage-police-and-assembly-members-clash-over-technology-and-surveillance-tools/), report, 2026-08-31. - ADN reported that data from DeFlock, an open source project tracking automated license plate readers, does not show any such mounted cameras in Alaska. [Anchorage Daily News, Zachariah Hughes](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/31/anchorage-police-and-assembly-members-clash-over-technology-and-surveillance-tools/), report, 2026-08-31. - Chief Case said detectives are using artificial intelligence systems similar to commercial large language models to manage case files and query them more efficiently. [Anchorage Daily News, Zachariah Hughes](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/31/anchorage-police-and-assembly-members-clash-over-technology-and-surveillance-tools/), report, 2026-08-31. - ADN reported that Anchorage businesses, particularly big box retailers, have started sharing shoplifting data among themselves and with APD through a platform called Auror. [Anchorage Daily News, Zachariah Hughes](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/08/31/anchorage-police-and-assembly-members-clash-over-technology-and-surveillance-tools/), report, 2026-08-31. - Alaska Public Media reported that the 750 feeds include more than 250 traffic cameras around the city as well as officer worn cameras and private security cameras. [Alaska Public Media, Wesley Early](https://alaskapublic.org/news/anchorage/2026-08-21/as-anchorage-assembly-weighs-police-surveillance-upgrade-some-members-want-privacy-protections-first), report, 2026-08-21. - Chief Case said cameras can't be pointed into a residence and can't be used without a search warrant that a court allows. [Alaska's News Source, Joe Allgood](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/28/looking-inside-anchorage-polices-real-time-crime-center/), report, 2026-08-27. - Chief Case said the expenditure is to move the Real Time Crime Center to its final location where it can handle all the staff the department plans to put in there. [Alaska's News Source, Joe Allgood](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/28/looking-inside-anchorage-polices-real-time-crime-center/), report, 2026-08-27. - Alaska's News Source reported that a home or business that opts into integration receives a small CORE device from Axon that plugs into the camera. [Alaska's News Source, Joe Allgood](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/28/looking-inside-anchorage-polices-real-time-crime-center/), report, 2026-08-27. - Alaska Landmine reported that APD's director of community relations Gina Romero filed a copyright claim that got a Landmine video critical of Chief Case removed from Facebook. [Alaska Landmine](https://alaskalandmine.com/landmines/first-amendment-attack-apd-had-a-landmine-post-critical-of-chief-case-removed-from-facebook/), report, 2026-09-04. - Gina Romero wrote that after further review APD concluded the Landmine's use may be covered under a valid copyright exception and that APD had contacted Facebook to retract the request. [Alaska Landmine, Jeff Landfield](https://alaskalandmine.com/landmines/apd-backs-downs-on-bogus-copyright-strike-filed-against-landmine/), report, 2026-09-07. - Alaska Landmine reported the video had more than 60,000 views before Facebook took it down. [Alaska Landmine, Jeff Landfield](https://alaskalandmine.com/landmines/apd-backs-downs-on-bogus-copyright-strike-filed-against-landmine/), report, 2026-09-07. - Assembly Vice Chair Daniel Volland said he would be curious how the action on social media comports with Constitutional freedom of the press. [Alaska Landmine](https://alaskalandmine.com/landmines/first-amendment-attack-apd-had-a-landmine-post-critical-of-chief-case-removed-from-facebook/), report, 2026-09-04. Slides and the deck PDF are linked from the canonical page.