Sexual Harassment, Civil Rights & Public Corruption

Officer Mary Ferguson v. City of Sitka et al.

The information on this page is a matter of public record.​

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Officer Mary Ferguson was found to have been sexually harassed by her immediate supervisor (sexual harassment is a crime) during an investigation into her allegations by the City of Sitka. However, no criminal charges were filed and no sanctions levied. The person responsible - Sgt. Walt Smith - was actually promoted. However, he resigned once these findings were made public by her civil rights lawsuit and The FCI's disclosures to The Assembly.

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Subsequent to the Investigation and public reporting by the FCI (2018 / 2019 / FCI Forensic Assessment / Amicus Inquisitio), both the police supervisor involved (Lt. Walt Smith) and the Chief of Police (Jeff Ankerfelt) have resigned - and the City Administrator, Keith Brady, has been fired. 

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In 2019, upon recommendation by The FCI and Officer Ferguson, The City agreed to set aside money for an independent investigation into Sitka Police Department. This investigation was quashed by a newly appointed chief of police who hired a convicted criminal as his operations lieutenant. He also fired Officer Ferguson.

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In 2020, Officer Ferguson reached a plea agreement with The Sitka Police Department. While the City admitted no fault, she was awarded $515,000 in damages by the City. She was also empowered to conduct her own independent audit of the department.

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“Historically, the Sitka Police Department

has been a depressing place to work.

When I first started there, I thought the environment

was completely toxic. It was ‘Lord of the Flies.’

And that challenge persists today."

- Jeff Ankerfelt, former Sitka Police Chief (2016-2019)