Gov. Sean Parnell announced his state board appointments today, and his list includes one Unalaska resident. Public Safety Director Jamie Sunderland has been selected to serve on the Alaska Police Standards Council.

That council sets the regulations governing conduct in the field of law enforcement. They also handle cases where police and corrections officers are accused of living up to those standards.  

Sunderland says that it’s been a while since anyone from the community has served on the board, and that he thinks it will be helpful having someone there who is familiar with this region.

“I just thought it would be nice to get some rural law enforcement perspective on one of those boards, and I was happy to serve,” says Sunderland.

Sunderland has worked in law enforcement for 16 years, and he has served all of that time in Unalaska. He also currently serves on the state’s Emergency Response Commission.

The state legislature is expected to review Parnell’s board appointments this month. Should Sunderland’s appointment be confirmed, he will begin his term on the Alaska Police Standards Council on March 1.