In Shrader's case, he could lose his job.

According to the airport's policy and procedures manual, being found guilty of a crime involving "moral turpitude" could lead to being fired.

Calls to both the airport police department and Shrader's attorney were not returned, but airport police Chief Lauri Burkmire has said that an internal investigation is under way.

Patterson says, as long as Shrader completes community service and stays clean for the next six months to a year, his charge will be dismissed.

"So he signed those documents and was told what he needed to do to complete a pretrial diversion," Patterson said. "He agreed to do that. He's done everything with the exception of we're waiting for the time to run now."

That's standard for first-time offenders.

"It truly is being prosecuted," Patterson said. "It will show up on his record as a pretrial diversion, but these are not considered the most heinous types of crimes either."

But not everyone agrees.

"We try to get the johns to look and say, 'Do you realize you're using this woman, do you know her background?' They really don't want to hear that. It's a degrading, violent business to be in. We interview every woman we arrest. The stories they tell are horrific-from forced rape to beatings, chokings, getting thrown out of moving vehicles, it's endless."

The stories fly in the face of conventional thinking that prostitutes are consenting women because, Lacey says, the average hooker starts turning tricks at a very young age.
"We've had girls right here in Anchorage that were traded for crack when they were 9 years old," Lacey said.

Police officers, she says, should know better.

"You can't pick on somebody just because they're a police officer, but obviously the citizens expect police officers to be held to a higher standard because we are out there enforcing the law," Lacey said.