Recruitment efforts to bring quality law enforcement officers to Alaska will continue

July 15, 2020 (ANCHORAGE)—This week, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) was notified that Google/YouTube canceled authorization of pay-per-click advertisement of a recently, nationally distributed recruitment video advertisement for the Alaska State Troopers. The action was taken as it was interpreted to be political and potentially an election advertisement because of Governor Mike Dunleavy’s comments supporting law enforcement and encouraging people to apply to the DPS ranks.

In the recruitment ad, Governor Dunleavy states, “We support law enforcement because our public safety depends upon it. If you are looking for a change, think about coming to Alaska. We’d love to have you.”

“This statement is not political,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy. “It is an encouragement to law enforcement officers across the United States to consider serving Americans in Alaska that value public safety and a call for more Alaska State Troopers so we can continue to combat the high rates of domestic violence, sexual assaults and other criminal acts that threaten a peaceful way of life.”

“At a time of extreme unrest in our country, having a platform like Google make a decision that a statement of support for law enforcement should be censored is wholly unacceptable,” said Commissioner Amanda Price, Department of Public Safety. “This effort from Google to hinder the efforts of the Alaska State Troopers to recruit qualified applicants to provide essential services puts Alaskans at risk.”

The advertisement has not been removed completely from the platform, but the department is not able to pay for further distribution. While it can still be viewed and shared organically on YouTube, the censorship can severely limit the DPS’s ability to reach potential applicants. The DPS would prefer to distribute paid recruitment advertisements across as many platforms as possible in hopes of finding the best of the best to join the ranks of the Alaska State Troopers. Whether it was algorithm or an actual person making the decision to censor the recruitment advertisement, the DPS finds this censorship deplorable. The recruitment advertisement will continue to be aired across the United States on other platforms.

“We want more quality law enforcement officers in Alaska,” said Commissioner Price. “To all the disenfranchised officers out there, please look at our hiring standards and reach out to our recruitment unit. Bringing more qualified law enforcement officers to Alaska is not politics, it is public safety.”

Potential applicants are encouraged to learn more about the opportunity to become an Alaska State Trooper at https://www.alaskastatetrooper.com.

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