Dozens of alleged criminals were swept up this week in what Anchorage police are calling “Operation Midnight Sun.”
Police say uniformed and undercover officers worked with state and federal law enforcement agencies over the course of several days during the coordinated, street-level crime suppression operation.
Police say the operation resulted in the seizure of nearly 20 guns, a little less than a pound of drugs and five stolen vehicles. It also led to a total of about 60 felony charges or arrests for outstanding warrants, including the arrest of one man on a murder charge.
Anchorage police lieutenant Jack Carson says Operation Midnight Sun went beyond the department’s day-to-day police work to do something more proactive.
“Crime suppression is actually going out and targeting criminal activity before they can victimize somebody,” Carson said. “So, we’re taking it to ’em prior to that, so we’re actually going out there and seeking them out and arresting them.”
Anchorage police say the operation brought together the FBI, ATF, DEA and others. It also included an Alaska State Trooper helicopter helping spot and track suspects from the air.
Carson says that required a highly coordinated effort.
“You know, it’s one of the biggest operations that we’ve run with all of our federal partners,” Carson said. “We’re doing this type of stuff everyday,but just not to this level.”
Anchorage police say the operation was possible because the department has increased the number of officers on the force and noted that Anchorage residents can expect similar coordinated efforts in the future.
Casey Grove is host of Alaska News Nightly, a general assignment reporter and an editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at cgrove@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Casey here.
