A Publication of the Alaska Peace Officers Association
Issue 1, March 2017
Juneau Police Department makes national
news for “Year of Kindness” campaign.
Page 2
-Contact APOA
-Celebration Center-Annual
Membership Meeting
-State Board Meetings
Page 3
-President’s Message
Page 5
-Legislative Review
Page 6
-Off-Duty Encounter
Page 8
-Chapter Reports
Page 11
-Bellamy Brothers Concert
Page 12
-ERASE Class
Page 14
-W-2 Phishing
Page 16
-Texas Roadhouse Fundraiser
Page 17
-Bylaw Amendments
-The Lighter Side
Page 18
-APOA Elections
Page 19
-Click the Links
-Pick, Click and Give to APOA
Page 20
-Supporting Members
“Police in Alaska city launch year of kindness”
By Associated Press December 28, 2016
P
olice in Alaska’s
capital city are
spearheading a campaign
to turn 2017 into a
community-wide year of
kindness.
Juneau police will
kick off the campaign with
public potlucks on New
Year’s Eve and New
Year’s Day to encourage
locals to commit daily
acts of kindness and to
reach out weekly to
individuals outside their
Juneau police officer Ken Colon grills hot dogs in July during a community gathering
usual circles.
sponsored by the police department. Police in the Alaskan capital are launching a year
Groups, businesses, of kindness that will start this week with community potlucks. (Becky Bohrer/AP)
government agencies
a partnership with the global kindness
and others also are choosing a different week
advocate, Random Acts, and others.
of the year for their employees to conduct
“Can you change the quality of life in a
“kindness surges,” with officers at the local
community and prove that you have done so?”
prison taking the first week.
Sell said.
Ideas being considered include visiting
Jennifer Willis-Rivera, of the nonprofit
local senior homes, distributing care packages
Random Acts, knows of no similar programs
and paying for a stranger’s meal.
by a police department or city anywhere. She
The goal is to measure the impact of
plans to visit Juneau in January and again a
kindness on such areas as crime and
year after that.
emergency calls at the end of 2017, according
Continued on page 4
to Lieutenant Kris Sell, who hatched the idea in
Page 2
Contact Us
U. S. Mail
APOA
P. O. Box 240106
Anchorage, AK 99524-0106
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Phone .............................. 277.0515
Fax ................................... 272.5355
E-mail ....................... [email protected]
Website ..........www.apoaonline.org
Board of Directors
Brad Johnson ................... President
Kris Sell .................... Vice President
John Lucking ............ Past President
Marilyn Bailey .. Secretary/Treasurer
Patrick Bliss ............ Aleutian Islands
Michele Logan ................ Anchorage
Shawn Phelps ............... Capital City
Tony Mosher ............ Farthest North
Mark Pearson ......................... Kenai
Jan Jenski ........................... Mat-Su
Bruce Smith ....................... Wrangell
Kalie Bell ........... Business Manager
The Northern Peace Officer
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Purpose:
To keep the APOA membership
informed of people and events of
interest to the members and the
chapters.
APOA
State B
Meetin
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•
Kalie Bell ................................ Editor
Software North LLC .............. Design
Published four times per year.
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27 Mar
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24 Apr— 1600 telecon
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22 May 1600 telecon rence
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Message from the State Chapter
Page 3
L
et me be the first to welcome spring’s arrival in just a few short weeks
(on the calendar anyway). Spring brings with it warmer weather and MLB
spring training. Speaking of spring training, in May we present our first
sessions of traveling trainer classes delivered to major venues across the
state (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and Kenai). As a reminder, in order
to better provide relevant training and decrease travel expenses for folks to
attend, we decided to modify our Crime Conference schedule to every
other year, adopting the traveling trainer concept during the odd years. We
are very excited to provide ALERRT Exterior Response Active Shooter
Environment (ERASE) training to agencies in Alaska, presented by the
same outstanding instructors who train LEOs across the county in the
Brad Johnson
FBI’s
ALERRT response to active threats. To see what’s in store, and to
APOA State President
register for the course nearest you, please go to apoaonline.org and follow
the link under the Events and Training tab.
Spring also means that your board of directors has already been hard at work reviewing and evaluating the
session’s bills as they relate to public safety and providing support or opposition as appropriate on your behalf.
Two key measures that the board is focused on are the passage of bills providing health care benefits to survivors
of peace officer line of duty deaths and some much needed modifications to statute changes enacted with the
passage of the Omnibus Crime bill (SB91) last session. The board continues to evaluate new bills as they are filed
and provide our association’s position on each that impacts public safety.
2017 is already shaping up to be a fantastic year, and chapter events and activities are already planned for the
coming summer months. Be sure to take advantage of the training opportunities, shooting competitions, triathlons,
picnics and other events at your local chapter. It is here that the work gets done and the best programs are
envisioned, developed and implemented in partnership with the local community. I encourage you to stay involved
with your chapter, or get involved if you’re not already. As I hope you recall, my goal for APOA was to increase
membership and engagement in 2016. We have been moderately successful in that regard through 2016, but it
is imperative that we continue those efforts this year as well. Please participate and get involved. Share what you
enjoy and find rewarding from your membership in APOA with friends and colleagues. Invite them to a chapter
meeting and buy their meal. They don’t know what they’re missing until you share it with them.
On another note, this will be my last newsletter message to you as President of this amazing association. It
has been a privilege and honor to serve the state chapter as President for the past four years. Having the
opportunity to work with our incredible chapter officers, along with our longtime secretary/treasurer Marilyn Bailey
and remarkable Executive Director Kalie Bell has been truly amazing, and will always be the highlight of my service
to APOA. As I look back at what we’ve accomplished throughout the state over the years, I can safely say that we
have indeed made a difference in improving public safety for our members, agencies and communities. I have
every confidence that your next leadership team will surpass our contributions and continue to keep APOA the
foremost professional law enforcement association in the state.
Have a fantastic spring and summer here in the last frontier, or wherever your vacation plans take you, and
always remember…
Together, we can make a difference.
Brad Johnson
Page 4
Continued from page 1
To her, the excitement will come in seeing the results
after an entire year focused on kindness.
“It’s something that everybody talks about all the time,
but usually we’re really only focused on it around the
holidays, when there’s a tragedy,” she said.
Sell said she came up with the idea several months ago
as she was thinking about what direction Juneau police could
take in 2017.
She said some “really hateful things” had just happened
nationally, including the killings of five law enforcement
officers in Dallas who had been working to keep the peace at
a protest over the deadly police shootings of black men in
Minnesota and Louisiana.
Juneau has had its own share of violence, including the
non-deadly shooting of a man December 3, months after the
kindness project was announced. Police say the shooting,
which is under investigation, was the first one involving the
city officers since 2007.
Some locals, including students, already are exercising
their kindness muscles.
Last week, special education students from JuneauDouglas High School traveled across town to hand out candy
canes at Thunder Mountain High School. A 17-year-old
Thunder Mountain senior died in September after accidentally
shooting himself.
Special education teacher Janette Gagnon said students
wanted to offer some crosstown support.
Thunder Mountain principal Dan Larson got one of the
candy canes from student Mitchell Henderson, who wore a
festive Santa hat. Larson said it’s been a tough year for the
school.
“We need this,” he said of the holiday cheer spread by
the visiting students. “This is a good time of year for goose
bumps.”
At the Lemon Creek Correctional Center, officers are
planning projects to carry out during kindness surge the first
week of the new year. One officer plans to make care bags
with snacks, bus tokens and other items to pass around town.
Ernestine Hayes, a Juneau-based author, said she
hadn’t heard of the kindness campaign but praised Juneau
police for the effort.
“I think it’s very good to be on the lookout for someone
you can hand something to — give them something like,
‘Here’s a bus token’ — if we also remember that kindness
can be a smile, a hello and a hug.” she said, “That will
advance it even further.”
Year of Kindness Initiative graphic found on Facebook as random acts of
kindness are reported.
Link to online story: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/
kidspost/police-in-alaska-city-launch-year-of-kindness/2016/12/28/
e320485a-cd0d-11e6-b8a2-8c2a61b0436f_story.html?
utm_term=.5c35959bd695
About the Project: http://juneau.randomacts.org/about/
Fox News Video Segment Interview with Lt. Kris Sell of the
Juneau Police Department:
http://video.foxnews.com/v/5269290471001/?#sp=show-clips
Juneau Police Department Information Release:
http://www.juneaupolice.com/PSA-template.php?UID=1789
Page 5
LEGISLATIVE REVIEW
ADVOCACY for law enforcement is one of the primary goals of the APOA. The state chapter board has gathered for a
face to face meeting each January for the past several decades to review pre-filed bills introduced by the Alaska
Legislature. The state chapter board of directors met on January 28 th this year in Anchorage to review a few dozen newly
introduced bills. The legislative committee also monitors newly introduced bills throughout the legislative session and
reports on any bills which may impact law enforcement at monthly board teleconferences. Of the bills reviewed, the board
took the following positions. Members are encouraged to provide feedback to the state board should there be questions,
comments, concerns. [email protected]
2017 Legislative Review Session 1
Bill Number
HB11
HB16
HB23
HB31
HB37
HB42
HB75
SB69
S = Support
O = Oppose
as of 2/27/17
Short Title
Action
defined benefit retirement plan of the Public Employees' Retirement
System of Alaska
S
training regarding disabilities for police officers...re guidelines for drivers
when encountering or being stopped by a peace officer; re driver's license
exam; and relating to a voluntary disability designation on a state
identification card and a DL
O
death bene for emergency personnel
S
DPS tracking system, collection, & testing SA kits 18months
O
accrual of service in the PERS by a peace officer or firefighter while unable
to work and is receiving workers' comp and requiring the state to make
certain contributions under PERS for a peace officer or firefighter who is
unable to work and is receiving workers' compensation benefits
S
seizure of property; relating to forfeiture to the state; relating to criminal
law
O
gun violence protective orders
S
misconduct involving weapons in the fifth degree
S
Page 6
Are you prepared for an off-duty encounter?
Facing off with a criminal while off-duty seldom goes as planned and can be deadly
Feb 7, 2017 https://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/articles/288266006-Are-you-prepared-for-an-off-duty-encounter/
S
everal active shooter situations have been brought to an end by a single person – often an off-duty officer who was armed and
had the wherewithal to engage. What about you? Have you thought it through? Carrying a firearm while off-duty brings big
responsibility and, if you engage, much greater risk than on-duty actions. Those risks go beyond the obvious ones related to potential
injury from a bad guy. They involve exposure to criminal prosecution, civil liability and, if you’re accompanied by a family member,
potential injury to a loved one.
TO CARRY OR NOT TO CARRY
No one knows with any degree of certainty how
many officers carry a firearm while off-duty. There is
no reliable source for this data and, even if there was,
it would vary dramatically among jurisdictions. Suffice
to say that many officers choose to carry a weapon
and their motivation for doing so ranges from a base
level of self-protection (only for me or my family) to an
outright commitment to take action in the event of a
serious crime. Regardless of where you are on that
scale, there are some important considerations.
WHAT TO CARRY
There have been entire books written on off-duty
weaponry, so it obviously goes beyond the scope of
this article. Bottom line: The weapon must be capable
of stopping a threat and you must be sufficiently
skilled in using it. A compact version of your service
weapon can be a solid choice because of operational
similarity. Example: Those who carry a Glock 19 or 23 might consider the Glock 26 or 27, respectively. Many officers who carry a
backup gun when on-duty like to carry that same weapon when off-duty. Again, weapon familiarity is a benefit. The last thing you
want during a crisis is a weapon that you can’t put into operation or quickly clear if a malfunction occurs.
WHEN TO CARRY
Even if you regularly carry a weapon while off-duty, you should still think through what you would do in an unarmed situation.
HOW TO CARRY
Where you carry your gun on your body is a matter of personal choice. Some officers swear by an ankle holster, especially if
that’s where they carry their backup weapon. Other officers don’t like the ankle holster approach because they feel the weapon isn’t
readily accessible. This is a matter of practice and an ankle holster can also fit into something of a ploy in the event that you are the
victim of a robbery. I know of an officer who purposely dropped his wallet during a robbery, then feigned reaching down to pick it up.
He came up firing. This same type of subterfuge can be done with other methods of off-duty carry, but you should absolutely practice
and think through what you would do.
HAVE A PLAN
As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, you need to think through how you will react in an off-duty
situation. This includes your level of engagement. Some officers feel the best approach is to simply be the
Continued next page
Page 7
best witness possible and only act if they or a family member is in immediate danger. Many other officers extend that to the immediate
danger of another person, regardless of the relationship. It is important for you to evaluate your probable situations and determine
what your threshold of engagement will be. You’re much more likely to be successful in your action if you take this approach.
SHARE THE PLAN
Sit down and have a conversation with your family and/or close friends who are regularly with you. Tell them what to expect in the
event of an off-duty engagement. Give them specific instructions as to what they should do. At a minimum, move away from the
situation, take cover, call for help and stress that an off-duty officer is involved and needs help. It is absolutely essential that you have
this conversation and that you should do so more than once. If you have kids, it is helpful to have age-appropriate talks based on a
hypothetical like a robbery-in-progress. If done properly, your kids will have a clear expectation of what you will do and what you need
them to do. It literally could save their life.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
An off-duty engagement with a suspect is exponentially more dangerous than when you are on duty. You’re very unlikely to have
needed equipment like body armor, radio, handcuffs or extra ammunition. It’s also likely that any uniformed assistance is going to be
both delayed and potentially dangerous. The danger comes from the risk of being mistaken for an armed suspect.
Several off-duty officers have been killed by responding officers who perceived the off-duty officer as an armed suspect rather
than a fellow officer. Always assume that responding officers do not know who you are, even if you’re in your own jurisdiction. I have a
friend who sustained a serious facial injury during an ATM robbery. He fought back, shot one suspect and held the other at gunpoint.
Officers (from his own department) responded to a report of shots fired and a man with a gun. On arrival, my friend’s coworkers didn’t
recognize him due to his appearance. Only after some tense moments, and my friend repeatedly yelling his name, did the officers
realize they were pointing guns (and a K-9) at a fellow officer. Bottom line: Never, never assume that you’ll be recognized.
At a minimum, make sure to take these steps: Identify yourself and keep doing so. Instruct anyone calling 911 to clearly convey
that an off-duty officer is on scene and needs assistance. Don’t rely on a badge clipped on your belt. Instead, hold your badge and
identification high so that they can be clearly seen. Also helpful is a badge clearly displayed at chest level. Verbalize your status.
Comply with the instructions of responding officers. Keep in mind that they do not know your status and they’re looking at an unknown
person who is armed. This is especially important if shots have been fired or if you have taken down a suspect.
Force yourself out of tunnel vision and try to take in the whole scene. There may be other suspects, especially in a robbery that
could pose a deadly threat. If you engage, issue clear and concise commands. Use available cover. If you are forced to shoot, do so
purposefully, just like you would on duty. After shots are fired, stop and evaluate your situation. Think “WIN – What’s Important Now?”
There may be other suspects that you’re not aware of – a lookout or getaway driver.
WHAT IF YOU’RE UNARMED?
Even if you regularly carry a weapon while off-duty, you should still think through what you would do in an unarmed situation. You
may find yourself in a place or jurisdiction where firearms are prohibited or you’re in a flying status and have chosen to go unarmed. It
really can happen anywhere and to anyone. Think through what you would do, what actions you would take and again, your
expectations for your family.
Off-duty encounters seldom go as planned and can be deadly for a well-intentioned officer. Think through your purpose in
carrying a firearm while off-duty and have a plan that you clearly communicate with your loved ones. Think tactically and continually
reassess the situation as it unfolds. Sometimes discretion truly is the better part of valor and it may be appropriate to simply be the
best witness possible.
About the author
Dale Stockton is a 32-year-veteran of law enforcement, having worked in all areas of police operations and investigations and retiring as a
police captain from Carlsbad, California. He is a graduate of the 201st FBI National Academy and holds a Master’s degree in Criminology from the
University of California, Irvine. He has served as a Commissioner for California POST, the agency responsible for all California policing standards
and training. Dale is the former editor-in-chief of Law Officer Magazine and is the executive director of Below 100.
Page 8
Aleutian Islands
N
o report
Our Chapters Report
Anchorage
By President Michele Logan
T
he Anchorage Chapter board is wasting no time in getting down to business in 2017. We are
currently sponsoring L.O.C.K.U.P. ® 5 Day Arrest and Control Instructor Training February 27March 3, 2017 at the Anchorage Police Department Training center and will proudly host the ALERRT
ERASE Course in Anchorage on May 1-2nd. Online registration is open for the Anchorage location as
well as the other three venues across the state. Space is limited and the course is already about 2/3 full
so get signed up soon. Here’s the registration link for ERASE sign up: https://www.flipcause.com/
secure/cause_pdetails/MTUwNjk=
We have the Anchorage Chapter board elections in April for half of the positions on the board.
The offices of President, Treasurer and two of the four board members, the seats held by Kevin Fryslie
and Ron Tidler, will be up for election in 2017 for a two-year term. The nomination process is now open
and the election is open to any Chapter member except for the office President which must be an active
(sworn or retired sworn LE) member. A letter of Intent to Run for Office can be found in the Anchorage
Chapter February newsletter.
http://www.apoaonline.org/uploads/8/6/3/8/86382712/february_2017_anc_chapter_n
ewsletter.pdf
Consider serving as an APOA board member and help to provide advocacy
for all law enforcement in the state as well as building great leadership
experience!
Capital City
By President Shawn Phelps
S
aturday, February 18th, the Capital City Chapter is hosted a free
swim at the Augustus Brown Swimming Pool. This was a membership
drive and was free to all APOA members, potential members and their
families.
There will be a June shooting competition this summer, with course
of fire design still being fine turned. Other Chapters are invited to
participate. Proceeds from the event will be donated to Sgt. Brandt’s
children. More details will be forthcoming as the event nears.
The Capital City Chapter is pleased to present Kim Horn with a
Lifetime Membership for her service to APOA since 1984!
Kim Horn, new APOA Life
Member.
Continued next page
Page 9
Farthest North Chapter
By President Tony Mosher
T
he APOA Farthest North Chapter will have another gun raffle tied into our May Awards banquet.
The banquet will continue to be a family-oriented event. A Police Memorial Day ceremony is also set
for May. The chapter has been working to re-energize our base to bring up meeting attendance. The
Christmas Party was very successful and well attended. Our thanks to Amanda Adams for
organizing it.
As you may know, Fairbanks PD Deputy
Chief Dan Welborn is currently attending the
FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA. While
attending the academy, APOA FNC
sponsored his team's raffle prize consisting of
an Alaskan Ulu knife, bowl and other Alaskan
made products. Funds are raised to benefit
the charity of the officer's choice. The charity
Dan's team selected was C.O.P.S. (Concerns
of Police Survivors). According to their
website, C.O.P.S. provides hands-on
programs designed specifically for each
survivorship to help rebuild their shattered
lives. These programs allow survivors to receive support from peers who know how they feel,
attend seminar sessions specifically designed for their needs and obtain resources to help
them on their journey of grief and coping.
Kenai Peninsula
By President Mark Pearson
T
he Kenai Peninsula Chapter is offering again two $2,000 scholarships again this year to
qualifying senior high school students within the Kenai Peninsula School District. Application forms
are available through the Kenai Peninsula school district scholarship portal or they are available by
contacting one of the APOA-KPC board members also. Deadline is April 15th or postmarked by that
date. We have had excellent applicants the past couple years and hope to have some more this
spring also. If you know of a senior looking into a career in law enforcement, encourage them to
apply.
This year instead of a Crime Conference APOA will be providing a traveling trainer that is
scheduled to come to the Kenai/Soldotna area May 4-5. This will be Advanced Law Enforcement
Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Exterior Response to Active Shooter Events (ERASE). This will
be excellent training which involves active participation in the class. So mark your calendars and
plan on attending and have fun some fun with other departments during the two days of
training.
Continued next page
Page 10
Mat-Su
By President Jan Jenski
G
ood news! Mat-Su Chapter meeting
attendance numbers are up. We continue to host
a breakfast meeting with speakers, and the
format seems to be pretty popular. Our last
speaker was the DOC commissioner. At a recent
meeting, we presented a plaque to the
Windbreak/Trout House in appreciation for use of
their restaurant for meetings. We also presented
a plaque to Steve Arlo, who manned the FOAST
booth every day of the State Fair and helped out
with APOA volunteers who sold APOA “Back the
Blue” T-shirts. Our scholarship applications are
up to date and currently on-line, and we are
widening our scope to generate more interest.
We continue to support Alaska Family Services
and we now support “My House”, a residence for
homeless teens in the Valley. John Glass
sponsored an Honor Flight to Washington DC,
and plants to do it again in the near future. We’re
also interested in developing challenge
coins for exchange, and our elections are
in May.
Wrangell
By President Bruce Smith
W
rangell has had little activity.
We are starting to receive our
applications for this year’s senior
scholarships. Last year we awarded
two at $750 each, and we expect to
do something similar this year. Any
Wrangell high school senior is eligible
and can obtain an application from the
high school counselor. The
application deadline is March 31. We
will finalize the details at an
upcoming meeting.
Page 11
APOA Concert Series May 2017
Proudly Presents:
The Bellamy Brothers and Thom Bresh
Anchorage: May 11th 730pm at The Egan Center
Kenai: May 12th 730pm at Kenai High School
Fairbanks: May 14th 7pm at The Carlson Center
Juneau: May 16th 730pm at The Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall
Telephone ticket sales campaign currently underway. Tickets will be available through
Ticket Master for the Anchorage & Fairbanks shows in early May. $45 per person.
Proceeds from our fundraising projects are used primarily to grant college scholarships to
local area youth interested in criminal justice as a profession.
Click the picture to go to the Bellamy Brothers website.
Page 12
Page 13R
ALASKA ERASE 2 DAY CLASS SCHEDULE
Day 1
0800–0930 .................... Module 1 ..........................................Course Intro, Admin and Need for the Training
0945–1030 .................... Module 2 ............................................................................................. Push vs. Hold
1045–1130 .................... Module 3 ................................. TECC / Victim Extraction Techniques (compressed)
1130–1230 .................... Lunch ....................................................................................................... FLEXIBLE
1230–1530 .................... Module 4 ........................................................................... Fighting from the Vehicle
1545–1700 .................... Module 5 ... Individual / Team Movement Techniques / Danger Areas (compressed)
Day 2
0800–0900 .................... Module 6 ......................................... Actions on Contact (Near) (compressed lanes)
0900–1030 .................... Module 7 ............................................ Actions on Contact (Far) (compressed lanes)
1045–1230 .................... Module 8 .......................................................... Dismounted: Officer/Citizen Rescue
1230–1300 .................... Lunch ....................................................................................................... FLEXIBLE
1300–1600 .................... Module 9 ........................................................Vehicle Based Officer/Citizen Rescue
1600–1700 .................... Module 10 .................................................... Testing and Administration / Close Out
NOTE: Time hacks are flexible due to the nature of the modified schedule.
Click HERE to register online.
Page 14
Dangerous W-2 Phishing Scam Evolving; Targeting Schools,
Restaurants, Hospitals, Tribal Groups and Others
Feb. 2, 2017
W
ASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies and the tax industry issued an urgent alert today
to all employers that the Form W-2 email phishing scam has evolved beyond the corporate world and is spreading to other
sectors, including school districts, tribal organizations and nonprofits.
In a related development, the W-2 scammers are coupling their efforts to steal employee W-2 information with an older
scheme on wire transfers that is victimizing some organizations twice.
“This is one of the most
dangerous email phishing scams
we’ve seen in a long time. It can
result in the large-scale theft of
sensitive data that criminals can
use to commit various crimes,
including filing fraudulent tax
returns. We need everyone’s help
to turn the tide against this
scheme,’’ said IRS Commissioner
John Koskinen.
When employers report W-2
thefts immediately to the IRS, the
agency can take steps to help
protect employees from taxrelated identity theft. The IRS,
state tax agencies and the tax
industry, working together as the
Security Summit, have enacted numerous safeguards in 2016 and 2017 to identify fraudulent returns filed through scams
like this. As the Summit partners make progress, cybercriminals need more data to mimic real tax returns.
Here’s how the scam works: Cybercriminals use various spoofing techniques to disguise an email to make it appear as
if it is from an organization executive. The email is sent to an employee in the payroll or human resources departments,
requesting a list of all employees and their Forms W-2. This scam is sometimes referred to as business email compromise
(BEC) or business email spoofing (BES).
The Security Summit partners urge all employers to be vigilant. The W-2 scam, which first appeared last year, is
circulating earlier in the tax season and to a broader cross-section of organizations, including school districts, tribal
casinos, chain restaurants, temporary staffing agencies, healthcare and shipping and freight. Those businesses that
received the scam email last year also are reportedly receiving it again this year.
Security Summit partners warned of this scam’s reappearance last week but have seen an upswing in reports in
recent days.
Page 15
Continued from previous page
New Twist to W-2 Scam: Companies
Also Being Asked to Wire Money
In the latest twist, the cybercriminal follows
up with an “executive” email to the payroll
or comptroller and asks that a wire transfer
also be made to a certain account.
Although not tax related, the wire transfer
scam is being coupled with the W-2 scam
email, and some companies have lost both
employees’ W-2s and thousands of dollars
due to wire transfers.
The IRS, states and tax industry urge
all employers to share information with
their payroll, finance and human resources
employees about this W-2 and wire transfer scam. Employers should consider creating an internal policy, if one is lacking,
on the distribution of employee W-2 information and conducting wire transfers.
Steps Employers Can Take If They See the W-2 Scam
Organizations receiving a W-2 scam email should forward it to [email protected] and place “W2 Scam” in the subject
line. Organizations that receive the scams or fall victim to them should file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint
Center (IC3,) operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Employees whose Forms W-2 have been stolen should review the recommended actions by the Federal Trade
Commission at www.identitytheft.gov or the IRS at www.irs.gov/identitytheft.
Employees should file a Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, if the employee’s own tax return rejects because of a
duplicate Social Security number or if instructed to do so by the IRS.
The W-2 scam is just one of several new variations that have appeared in the past year that focus on the large-scale
thefts of sensitive tax information from tax preparers, businesses and payroll companies. Individual taxpayers also can be
targets of phishing scams, but cybercriminals seem to have evolved their tactics to focus on mass data thefts.
Be Safe Online
In addition to avoiding email scams during the tax season, taxpayers and tax preparers should be leery of using
search engines to find technical help with taxes or tax software. Selecting the wrong “tech support” link could lead to a loss
of data or an infected computer. Also, software “tech support” will not call users randomly. This is a scam.
Taxpayers searching for a paid tax professional for tax help can use the IRS Choosing a Tax Professional lookup
tool or if taxpayers need free help can review the Free Tax Return Preparation Programs. Taxpayers searching for tax
software can use Free File, which offers 12 brand-name products for free, at www.irs.gov/freefile. Taxpayer or tax
preparers looking for tech support for their software products should go directly to the provider’s web page.
Tax professionals also should beware of ongoing scams related to IRS e-Services. Thieves are trying to use IRS
efforts to make e-Services more secure to send emails asking e-Services users to update their accounts. Their objective is
to steal e-Services users’ credentials to access these important services.
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APOA By Law Draft Amendment
The bylaws amendment along with the candidates for board seats will be voted on next month by electronic ballot. The
results for all will be announced at the May luncheon and new officers will be sworn in during the annual membership
meeting on May 2nd.
ARTICLE XVII
FALLEN OFFICERS FUND
SECTION 1. ORIGIN: The Fallen Officers Fund was established in 2014 through the State Executive Board as a means to
raise and preserve funds for the fallen officer line of duty death benefit.
SECTION 2. PROCEDURES: The following procedures are established to manage the Fallen Officers Fund, continue it in
the spirit in which it was intended, and to provide line of duty death benefit payment to the families of fallen officers
throughout the state of Alaska.
A. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The Fallen Officers fund must be a separate account set aside specifically for the
intent to pay death benefits.
B. CONTRIBUTIONS: The Association will accept contributions to the Fallen Officers Fund and will place
those monies in an account designated as the “APOA Fallen Officers Fund”.
The Lighter Side
ATTENTION
METHAMPHETAMINE USERS!
If you have recently purchased meth from Montana, Washington, or Idaho it could be contaminated with the Zika
virus. Please contact the Polson Police Department immediately so we can conduct a FREE screening on your
meth to make sure it’s not contaminated. Be sure to bring all of the meth with you so it can be properly
tested.
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ELECTIONS
The APOA State Chapter Election will be held in mid-April. The nominating committee is looking for candidates
to run for the offices of President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer. Nominations may be submitted to the
APOA Business Manager or to any APOA chapter president.
th.
Nomination deadline is March 10
The following section of the APOA Bylaws defines the election and duties of state chapter officers:
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
SECTION 1. ELECTION: The President, Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected by
a vote of the Active members of the Association by secret ballot from a slate of candidates prepared
by the Nominating Committee. The position of President will have a slate of candidates in which the
person receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected President, and the person receiving the
second highest number of votes shall be Vice-President. The position of Secretary-Treasurer will
have a separate slate of candidates in which the person receiving the highest number of votes shall
be elected.
SECTION 2. DUTIES OF PRESIDENT: The President shall preside at all meetings of members and
of the State Executive Board, shall have and exercise general charge and supervision of the affairs of
the Association, and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the State Executive Board. In
the event of a vacancy on the State Executive Board, the Vice-President, Immediate Past President,
or any committee, the President shall appoint an Active member in good standing to fill the standing
vacancy. It shall further be the duty of the President to make an annual report of Association activities
at the Annual Meeting and be an ex-officio member of all committees.
SECTION 3. DUTIES OF VICE-PRESIDENT: At the request of the President, or in the event of
absence or disability, the Vice-President shall perform the duties and possess and exercise the
powers of the President and shall have such other powers as the State Executive Board may
determine.
SECTION 4. DUTIES OF SECRETARY-TREASURER: The Secretary-Treasurer shall work in tandem
with the Business Manager to record votes, and keep minutes of all meetings and proceedings of both
the State Executive Board and the members. In addition, the Secretary-Treasurer shall assure notice
of meetings of the State Executive Board and of the members is published; and will perform other
duties as required by the State Executive Board. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for
collaborating with the Business Manager in preparing an annual budget, monitoring expenses,
overseeing financial reporting, and administering the Association's financial policies and procedures.
Click HERE to read the APOA Bylaws in their Entirety
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Click the Links!
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friends and colleagues.
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