Alaska honors 69 fallen officers at 2026 Police Memorial Day ceremony

Law enforcement officers from across Alaska gathered in Anchorage on Wednesday to honor 69 colleagues killed in the line of duty. Families of the fallen sat at the center of the ceremony, and a new bell monument was dedicated for the first time.

The annual Alaska Police Memorial Day Ceremony, hosted by the Alaska Department of Public Safety, brought together federal, state, borough, and local officers in mixed formation at the Alaska Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

"These are not just names carved into stone," Commissioner James Cockrell said. "They are our family, our friends, and each with a story, each with a legacy."

Cockrell addressed the families directly. "Their dedication did not depend on jurisdiction, badge, department, or uniform," he said. "They serve one mission: to protect the people of this great state of Alaska. And it's just as important to recognize the families of the fallen here today. Please know that you have my deepest sympathies."

"State agencies, local departments, tribal partners, BPSOs, and federal colleagues are separate organizations, but we are one community," Cockrell said. "The sacrifice of the fallen reminds us that we share a common mission and that we must stand together to achieve it."

U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman traced the history of line-of-duty deaths in Alaska. "Nearly 130 years have passed since the first law enforcement officer in Alaska was killed," Heyman said. "September 1st, 1897, Deputy U.S. Marshal William C. Watts with the U.S. Marshal Service was the first. But no matter how many years have passed, 130 or 3 and a half since our latest tragedy, we remember these brave Alaskans and the sacrifices they have made to this community."

The most recent name on the memorial belongs to Trooper Curtis Worland of the Alaska State Troopers, killed Dec. 13, 2022.

Anchorage Police Department Chief Sean Case and Alaska State Troopers Colonel Maurice Hughes conducted a final roll call of all 69 fallen officers. A bell tolled after each name was read. The memorial wreath held 69 red roses, one for each of the fallen, and a single white rose to represent all officers currently serving Alaskans. Families of the fallen were invited to step forward and pay tribute at the memorial. The ceremony closed with a 21-gun salute and Taps performed by the Airport Police and Fire Honor Guard.

A new bell monument, built to replace one borrowed from the Anchorage Fire Department in prior years, was dedicated by the Alaska Police and Fire Chaplains and the Anchorage Police Department. Sienna Peterson, granddaughter of Chief Chaplain Diane Peterson, led the project after seeing the difficulty of locating the borrowed bell in previous years.