VETERAN POLICE CHIEF ZAVERAL RECOUNTS DEPARTMENT'S PROGRESS
By Mary Hahn
When Stanley Zaveral took
over the Fairbanks Police De
partment in December, 1953,
there were nine employees. To
day that number has increased
nearly seven-fold and the de
partment’s seven divisions oper
ate with a 65 member staff.
After three months appointment
at acting Chief of Police, Zaveral
POLICE CHIEF ZAVERAL
was appointed to the position on a
permanent basis March 20, 1954.
Originally from Ely, Minnesota,
he served in the military police for
four years. It was this work that
brought him to Alaska in 1943 when
he was in the Army under the Alas
ka Department of Military Police.
During the next two years his work
took him to Anchorage. Seward and
Fairbanks.
Deputy Marshal
Then November 1, 1945, he was
appointed deputy U.S. Marshal and
assigned to Nenana for one year. !
During that time he met and mar- j
ried Rose. The couple now have a j
home in Graehl, with their four chil- .
dren. Stanley Jr.. 16; William, 15: I
Toni, 12. and Robert, 6.
After he left Nenana. Zaveral
served about a four year tenure at
Nulato in the lower Yukon region
before being transferred to the local
marshal's office in April 1951.
In December 1953 he received a
temporary appointment as Fair
banks Chief of Police which netted
him the job permanently in March
of the same year.
Zaveral’s experience with the
military police coupled with the
knowledge that he received with
three months at an occupational po
lice school and two weeks at the
Los Angeles Police Academy pro
vided a good background for his
challenging job.
Crowded Quarters
In the old city hall where the
original police department was lo
cated, there was 400 feet of office
space. Today the police department
is crowded and takes up most of the
office space in the city offices and
police annex at 321 12th.
Not only is “crowdedness” a prob
lem. but the decentralization that
results from having the jail facility
! for men in the Federal building.
! according to Chief Zaveral.
However, the new city composite
ARCADE BURGLARIZED
On Feb. 6 Ernest Griffin of the
Southside Arcade notified City Po
lice that his firm had been broken
into and that about $70 had been
taken from a jukebox.
FOR SALE
Government Surplus
Buildings
The U. S. Army Engineer District,
Alaska is now issuing Invitation for
Bids 62-5 offering for sale one shed,
open 18.400 sq. ft. and a wood con
structed Gravel Hooper with con
veyor. located at Fort Wainwright,
1 sskd•
Bids to be opened 6 March 1962, at
2:00 p.m.
Further information and bid forms
ma\ be obtained by calling at Room
7D. Bldg. 21-700. Elmendorf Air Force
Base, or by writing to the U. S. Army
Engineer District, Alaska. P. O. Box
7002. Anchorage, Alaska, ATTN: Real
Estate Division.
Feb. 7, 14. 21. 1962
building, which is being planned,
will house 145 inmates.
The present federal jail is built
for 40. but houses 60 at present. The
police department offices up to 14
rustees, but these are all women
prisoners and juveniles.
The 65 member department staff
which has grown from nine in less
than 10 years, is divided into seven
divisions: Administration, Station
md Patrol, Juvenile. Jail Facility,
Humane Dvison, Investgation, and
Records and Investigation. The last
of these is the most involved and
time-consuming, says Zaveral. More
than just arrests are involved in the
police business he explained—there
are many facets.
For the past three years the Fair
banks Department has worked
under the FBI's uniform crime re
porting system. The local depart
ment must report monthly to the
national crime bureau.
A high employee turnover was a
problem until recently, said Zaveral.
How does he account for this?
“We have an adequate salary, he
stated.
Hard to Find Men
It’s hard to get qualified men to
serve on the force he added. Since
the local department is so small, it
is not possible to have a police
school. Because of that fact, thei c
are occasionally mistakes."
Almost 100 per cent of the police
department employees are from
states other than Alaska. Many of
them came to Fairbanks to work
or were in the military here and
decided to stay. s>ome were in tne
military police.
“Our major problem now is the
weather,” Zaveral commented, “or
more specifically, ice fog.” Uncount
able rear-end collisions have oc
curred in the past few months and
cause complex traffic problems.
As for the future, Zaveral and
his staff are looking forward to
the completion of the new “build
ing composite” which will enable
them to keep all their departments
under one roof.
"PLAN TO ATTEND THE SEATTLE WORLD'S FAIR"
NOW OFFERING
FAMILY PLAN RATES
TO SEATTLE
For Details
Of These
Substantial Savings
Contact
Alaska Airlines
ON THE
Family Plan Rates
In Effect
January 1
Through April 30
See Your Travel Agent or Phone GL 6-7733
NORDALE HOTEL