Chief of Police

Alan Nickell
anickell@cityofseward.net

Chief Nickell hails from the Midwest originally.  After high school he joined the U.S. Army and then later changed forces to the U.S. Air Force. During his years of military service, he traveled most of the world and served his country in support of the war with Iraq and the liberation of Kuwait. In 1999, Chief Nickell moved to Anchorage and worked for the USDA as a wildlife agent. In 2002, he was hired by the Seward Police Department and worked as the School Resource Officer for Seward's three schools for many years before being promoted to Sergeant in August 2014. He received the Seward Police Department's Life Saving award in 2014. Chief Nickell was promoted to Lieutenant in August 2018 and served in that position until December 2020 when he was promoted to Chief of Police.

Deputy Chief of Police

Karl Schaefermeyer
kschaefermeyer@cityofseward.net

Born and raised in Seward, Deputy Chief Schaefermeyer graduated from Seward High School in 2000. After living in South Korea for two years, he attended Brigham Young University in Utah and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Korean in 2006. He joined the Seward Police Department as a Correctional Officer in 2007 and became a Patrol Officer in October 2008, graduating from the Alaska State Trooper Academy class #0901 as the valedictorian of his class. He received the Seward Police Department's Good Conduct Award in 2014 and 2015 and was named Seward Police Department's Employee of the Year in 2017. Deputy Chief Schaefermeyer served as Sergeant from September 2018 through January 2021 when he was promoted to Deputy Chief of Police.