In a ceremony held May 23 in Sitka, 36 new law enforcement officers officially joined the ranks of Alaska’s public safety professionals, marking the completion of the Alaska Law Enforcement Training Academy’s 17-week program. It was one of the largest graduating classes, just three short of the record of 39.
Graduates from the class represent agencies from across the state, including the Alaska State Troopers, Wildlife Troopers, municipal police departments, and Village Public Safety Officer programs.
“These new officers represent the future of law enforcement in Alaska,” said Gov. Mike Dunleavy. “I am confident that they will uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, and I wish them all the best as they embark on their careers.”
Over the course of more than 1,000 hours of training, recruits received instruction in topics ranging from use-of-force and de-escalation to physical fitness and complex scenario-based exercises tailored to the unique challenges of policing in Alaska.
“We are proud to welcome these new officers to our law enforcement family,” said Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell. “This rigorous training program has prepared them to protect and serve Alaskans. We are grateful for their bravery and dedication to our communities.”
Graduating Officers and Their Agencies:
- Alaska State Troopers: Tyler Anderson, Abigail Danaher, Jess Evans, Levi Farrelly, Andrew Fishe, Noah Gandy, Nathan Marble, Wyatt Miller, Brycen Mitten, Christopher Morland, Riley Moss, Edward Owens, Stevan Smith, Jonah Strauel, Colten Taratko, Ethan Wynecoop
- Alaska Wildlife Troopers: Schuyler Deeney, Elizabeth Jaeschke, Cody Johnson, Hunter Shay
- Anchorage Airport Police & Fire: Skyler Borane, Leonardus Castro, Nicolas Herron-Webb
- Juneau Police Department: Steven Johnston, Joshua Shrader, Tristan Taber, Justin Viehweg
- VPSO Programs: Alexa House-Hoffman (Kodiak Area Native Association), Ryan Lane (Northwest Arctic Borough), Dakota Strong (Tlingit & Haida), Manmeet Teja (Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association)
- Kenai Police Department: Lucas Michael
- Soldotna Police Department: Cajewl Musgrave
- North Slope Borough Police Department: Michael Reahl
- Craig Police Department: Dylan Vanstralen
- Other Departments: Axel McCrumb (Juneau PD)
Trooper recruits will now complete an additional week of department-specific training with the Department of Public Safety. After that, they will report to duty stations in Fairbanks, Soldotna, or the Mat-Su Valley to begin the Field Training and Evaluation Program. Those who complete the program and their probationary period, typically one year from the start of the academy, will be promoted to the rank of Trooper.
Good luck.. You’ll have an exciting, stressful and dangerous job for the next few decades.
Congratulations to all the new law enforcement officers.
Oh great! Another crop of pensioners to support. I am grateful for law enforcement. However, the false market their benefits create is an anchor around the neck of liberty. We need to end the benefits, pay the difference in cash. We all should shop the same market place. No one should be forced to indemnify another. You won’t understand.
Really? Today’s law enforcement officers do not get pensions and haven’t since 2006. Nor do they get social security. Their benefits are significantly less than out of state agencies which is why Alaska continues to run a significant staffing shortage and lose so many well-trained officers to out of state agencies. The increased wages haven’t worked once officers learn what a joke the current Alaska retirement system is. A little education goes a long way.
I think Joe is just blowing hot air. Do LEOs leave Alaska at a higher rate than other trained professionals? My first year as a police officer I earned less than $18K.
Like the rest of us commoners, LEO’s “get” social security if they’ve paid in all their quarters as required. No reason any person should only work a government job for 25 years (for full medical) and expect not to have to ever work again. That’s not realistic. Law Enforcement isn’t even within the top 25 most dangerous jobs in the US according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Tree pruners were first followed by roofers. Shouldn’t they make more money?
And, in addition, we train them in remote Sitka?
Instead of on the road system?
Ridiculous.
George, Come on man, read the whole article. They go to Sitka for the Academy and then to Fairbanks, the MatSu or The Peninsula for the FTO program.
If you think LE is such a great gravy boat why don’t you jump on in. Or why didn’t you when you were younger? Stop criticizing until you’ve seen the elephant you have no effing idea. Go somewhere else to spew your BS. Ever been stabbed? Ever been shot at? Ever had to shoot another person trying to kill you? If you want people to stay 20+ years in a career you’re gonna have to pay them if you don’t want to you’re going to get goons with guns. State and virtually every other local agency up here has made every effort to select good people.
Yeah that’s why AST Field Training Officers (FTO’s) are being told by their chain of command that they WILL get fresh troops through to completion of their field training even if the FTO has legitimate concerns about and think they are not qualified (for lack of maturity or any other red-flag that pops up). So the FTO’s find themselves coerced into passing new troops who have zero business policing the community. Truth sucks sometimes, no? You wanna do a little investigative work delve into that one Suzanne. Pity the community that gets a participation trophy cop. Gotta fill those positions though. Right?
I also congratulate and thank these new LEOs for their service. We need you badly.
The Alaska State Troopers website says beginning salary with no degree or experience is about $80K per year, quickly exceeding $100K. It also says their defined contribution plus supplemental means their retirement account will grow annually at least 25 percent of their annual salary. Pretty lucrative.
So how much pay is too much to go out and put up with the worst of society and put you life on the line in many different way? How much is too much to work weekends, holidays and be gone for al the important family events? Rain or shine, all year they are out there doing the job thank god. A good law enforcement officer is worth every penny of it.
Sorry you missed my previous post about my salary as a police officer, Dave. How much is too much? When it’s enough to attract those who just do it for the money, that’s how much is too much.
I disagree. That’s wht the vetting process is for. No matter what the pay scale is for any job there is always some who are only in it for the money. LEOs may need a better vetting process than they have now but for me, that is the answer.
Correct. Those of us who have been there and done that 90+ percent are not doing it for the money. Even during the bad years when they cut our pay we stayed. It’s a calling. There is a very small percentage of society that run towards the gun fire to help and be peacemakers. Those that are not inclined that thinking have no clue. And that’s fine they Are very welcome to hide in their beds put their fingers in their ears and continue to know that evil does not exist out there. People like us are happy to have them stay out of our way.
Craig, it’s the vetting process We the People are concerned about and the caliber of some of the people being allowed to enter law enforcement. But it’s always been so. There are always undesirables in every field of endeavor and to suggest otherwise is plain silly. Poorer quality officers within DPS eventually either get forced reassigned to less than desirable locations or outright fired if it’s bad enough but those are admin actions so kept quiet. The public never knows the whole story. No man or woman walks on water no matter the career calling. It’s a real problem being seen across the country. It’s the vetting process and it’s broken by necessity of empty positions.
You think? You’re probably also the one that doesn’t want to pay a neighbor kid more than five dollars an hour to mow your lawn. “Pretty lucrative“ if you think it’s such a fun time, overly paid, lucrative, why don’t you dive right in? You have no clue.
Congratulations, Officers!