The University Police Department (UPD) at the University of Alaska Anchorage receives it statutory authority from Alaska Statute 14.40.043. This statute, enacted in 1992, bestowed general police powers upon police officers employed by the University. Each police officer must meet the strict standards established by the Alaska Police Standards Council and the University in order to be employed and fully commissioned. 

UPD is a fully functioning Police Department which is responsible for prevention, response and prosecution of crimes on the campus, in relation to the University’s operations, or which occur in the officer’s presence. In non-criminal safety matters UPD works closely with our campus or community partners such as Auxiliary Services, Dean of Students Office, Disability Services, Environmental Health and Safety, Emergency Management, Facilities, Human Resources, Residence Life, Office of Equity and Compliance, Office of Instructional Technology, and Parking Services to address the incident.

Because of UAA’s Anchorage Campus location, UPD has unique challenges as it relates to community safety and law enforcement. The Anchorage Campus is an urban, metropolitan campus with 73 buildings, 3.2 million gross square feet, 6.6 lane miles of roadway, on 390 acres, and located within the University - Medical District (U-Med) of Anchorage, serving a campus population of approximately 11,000 students. It is surrounded by three medical facilities (including psychiatric / drug rehabilitation treatment facilities), the largest juvenile justice’s treatment center in the state, a private university, a municipal airport, and federal government facilities. These peripheral institutions require additional consideration, awareness, response tactics, and resources.

UPD does provide support serves to the Community Campuses and in the instance of Matanuska-Susitna (Mat-Su) College does have an officer stationed part-time on the campus to provide law enforcement and safety services. 

Regardless of your location or needs, please call UPD Dispatch directly at 907-786-1120 for assistance. In all cases of emergency please call 9-1-1 and the answering Communications center will coordinate the appropriate emergency services response to you.