Juneau Police Department Chief Ed Mercer is retiring at the end of July after a career of more than 30 years in Southeast Alaska law enforcement. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

Juneau Police Department Chief Ed Mercer is retiring at the end of July after a career of more than 30 years in Southeast Alaska law enforcement. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)

JPD Chief Ed Mercer retiring

Lifetime Southeast Alaska resident departing July 31 after career of more than 30 years.

Juneau Chief of Police Ed Mercer is retiring July 31 after more than 30 years in Southeast Alaska law enforcement, according to an official announcement Friday.

Mercer has served as chief of the Juneau Police Department since 2017, first joining the department in 2000, a press release issued by the City and Borough of Juneau states. He started his police career as a reserve officer in Sitka in 1992, eventually accepting a full-time position with the department there.

During his first four years at JPD he worked in the patrol division and drug enforcement unit, after which he rose through the ranks to patrol sergeant, lieutenant, captain of operations and deputy chief.

Mercer, who is Tlingit and a lifelong Southeast Alaskan born in Sitka, is the first Alaska Native person to lead JPD, according to the release. Among his honors received is the Alaska Federation of Natives’ 2021 Public Service President’s Award for his service to the community.

“There’s not a lot of minorities in law enforcement. I look around and there are a few, but not a lot. I think it says something to young minds and young people to say, ‘You can do this. It is an option.’ I think that is something significant,” Mercer said when he won the award.

Mercer was not immediately available for comment Friday evening.

Among the accomplishments cited by JPD in an official bio of Mercer is continuing an annual National Night Out campaign to build police-community partnerships, reinstating a Citizens Academy program for members of the public to become more familiar with the police departmentand a multi-year effort to get JPD accredited through the Oregon Accreditation Alliance after the State of Alaska’s program was discontinued.

“Chief Mercer is a true public servant,” City Manager Rorie Watt said in a prepared statement. “He has always put the people of Juneau first and worked ceaselessly to build trust between the police department and the community they serve. We will miss him but wish him the very best in the next stage of his life and career.”

Mercer has also had notable off-duty moments, including last October when he rescued three people from a 60-foot fishing vessel that had run aground on Favorite Reef near Juneau while he was out on his own boat.

“I’m happy I was able to help somebody in need of assistance. I grew up in Southeast Alaska, so I know the dangers of being on the water and I just hope that if I’m ever in those types of circumstances that someone would be there to help me, as well, and certainly drop everything to help out,” Mercer said at the time.

Deputy Chief David Campbell, a lifelong Alaskan who has been at JPD since 1995, will serve as interim chief of police, according to the department’s release. The permanent replacement will be selected through an open recruitment process involving participation from the public, the CBJ Assembly and JPD.

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.

More in News

KTOO, Juneau's public radio station, is photographed in Juneau, Alaska, on Friday, July 11, 2025. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Public radio facing cuts as Congress moves to pull back funding

KTOO could lose one-third of its budget if the House passes a bill cutting funding for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting

Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo
The Norwegian Bliss arrives in Juneau on Monday, April 14.
Ships in port for the week of July 19

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2025 schedule.… Continue reading

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Thursday, July 17, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Eaglecrest Ski Area. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire File)
Hiker rescued from gully at Eaglecrest

The woman got stuck in a gully after taking a wrong turn

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Wednesday, July 16, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

The Dimond Courthouse in Juneau, Alaska, is seen in this undated photo. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire file)
Juneau man pleads guilty to murder of infant

James White pleaded guilty yesterday to the murder of 5-and-half-week-old Kathy White

U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Megan Dean shakes hands with the new Arctic District commander Rear Admiral Bob Little on Friday. Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, commander of the Pacific Area, smiles. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
US Coast Guard receives new commander, new name for Alaska

The Arctic District’s new icebreaker will visit Juneau next month

City and Borough of Juneau City Hall is photographed on July 12, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Juneau Empire file)
Municipal election candidate filing period opens July 18

The filing period runs from July 18 at 8 a.m. to July 28 at 4:30 p.m.

The Mendenhall River roars more than 13 feet above normal levels in August 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Suicide Basin predicted to fill by Aug. 8

The change in the prediction of when the basin will fill was based on heavy rain last week

Most Read