An Officer's Fall: DUI Charges Lead to APD Separation for Charles Bowser

There's been a rather somber development within the Anchorage Police Department that's worth noting. Charles Bowser, who served as a patrol officer with the department for well over a decade, is no longer part of the force. This official separation, which happened on June 18, 2026, comes after he was charged with driving under the influence in an off-duty incident earlier this year.

You see, the trouble began back on March 9th. It was around 5:10 in the evening when fellow officers responded to a call at Bowser's Anchorage residence. What they reportedly discovered was quite concerning: Bowser was found slumped over in a department-issued, marked vehicle. There was, as you might expect, a strong odor of alcohol, and his blood alcohol level allegedly registered at an alarming .293 – that’s more than three times the legal limit, a truly significant number. Adding to the gravity of the situation, in-car video footage apparently showed him driving at speeds exceeding 80 miles per hour.

Naturally, the department took swift action. Following that concerning incident, Bowser was immediately placed on administrative leave. The formal charges, for Driving Under the Influence, were brought against him by the Office of Special Prosecutions on April 24, 2026. The Anchorage Police Department itself publicly announced these charges just a few days later, on April 29th, ensuring transparency around a difficult situation involving one of their own.

For Charles Bowser, who first joined the APD ranks in May 2014, this unfortunate episode marks the definitive end of his twelve-year career. The news of his departure was reported on July 28, 2026, by KTUU. While he's no longer with the department, the legal proceedings are still very much in motion; a pre-trial conference is, in fact, scheduled for this coming August. It’s a stark reminder, I think, of the serious responsibilities that come with being a police officer, both on and off duty, and the profound consequences when those responsibilities are allegedly not upheld.