Full Notification

The Anacortes Police Department would like to thank the community for the tremendous outpouring of support following the deaths of the five police officers in Dallas, Texas. The cards, goodies, flowers, hugs, and emails are really appreciated.

I have been struggling to find the right words to express my feelings. I want the community to know that all of us in the law enforcement profession are hurting. Not just because of the events in Dallas, but because we realize that not every police officer in every department has the benefit of good training, or a culture within the department that values the trust of its community and actively seeks to ensure the safety of all of its citizens.

It would be inappropriate to comment on the latest officer involved shootings until the investigations are completed. It is safe to say that we at APD do review our training and policies to make sure that our officers are well trained in conflict de-escalation and less lethal options available in force situations.

In the 2014 and 2015 APD Annual Reports I addressed the issues of Police Bias and Use of Force Decisions. The reports are available at www.cityofanacortes.org under the Your Government – Police-Annual Report tab.

From all of us at APD, thank you. We are proud to serve you.

-Chief Bowers