Alaska State Troopers, Wildlife Troopers, Village Public Safety Officers, the State Crime Lab, and fire and life safety. Covers search and rescue and rural law enforcement across the state.
A Michigan man was arrested Thursday near Kalamazoo and indicted on two counts of second-degree murder in the 1993 disappearance of Patrick Orville Dearth, a case that broke open when the suspect himself called in an anonymous tip in January 2025.
An Alaska State Trooper fatally shot a man on July 7 after a 90-second vehicle pursuit ended on a dead-end Fairbanks street; the Alaska Bureau of Investigation is leading the inquiry, with independent review by the Office of Special Prosecutions to follow.
Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited 13 commercial fishers between June 26 and July 1 under the Bristol Bay Salmon Enforcement Program, spanning the Egegik and Nushagak districts, with arraignments set for early August in Naknek and Dillingham.
David Lester, a New York resident, fell and struck his head on the Reeds Lake trail in Hatcher Pass on Friday afternoon. Alaska Wildlife Troopers hiked to him and flew him by DPS helicopter to a local hospital.
Two Sitka men, arrested in separate investigations by Alaska's Task Force Dawnbreaker, face felony child sexual abuse material charges. Both are held without bail.
Alaska State Troopers arrested a Big Lake man Thursday after witnesses reported he assaulted his girlfriend inside a vehicle parked at Big Lake Elementary School. He is charged with Assault IV (Domestic Violence) and held at Mat-Su Pretrial.
Caleb Jametski, 32, of Metlakatla was sentenced Tuesday in Ketchikan to seven years with four suspended after pleading guilty to possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material. He must register as a sex offender for fifteen years upon release.
A Bethel Grand Jury indicted Nome resident Ulric Jeffery Ulroan on 47 counts of sexual assault and abuse Wednesday, covering alleged offenses against teenage girls across four Alaska communities from 2009 to 2025. Troopers believe additional victims exist.
Guy Foreman, 45, of Anchor Point was arrested April 28 on charges of vehicle theft, assault and driving with a suspended license after allegedly assaulting someone and stealing their vehicle.
The Alaska Bureau of Investigation identified the man killed and the two officers involved in a May 23 officer-involved shooting in Utqiagvik following a domestic violence call.
The Senate Health and Social Services Committee adopted changes requiring fingerprint-based criminal background checks for all physicians, osteopaths, podiatrists, and physician assistants seeking Alaska licenses, not just those applying through interstate compacts.
A highway interdiction team traffic stop in Wasilla resulted in drug charges and a conditions-of-release violation. Mat-Su overdose deaths have climbed in recent years.
U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman told an Anchorage memorial ceremony Wednesday that violence against law enforcement is escalating and going underreported, citing a recent Alaska case where a felon shot an officer in the knee during an arrest.
Alaska State Troopers arrested Ross Turner, 33, on domestic violence assault charges after a late-night disturbance at a Wasilla residence where a child was present.
The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for inland Bristol Bay through Thursday evening, signaling critical fire-weather conditions from hot, dry, and windy weather in a region vulnerable to wildfire during early summer.
The fire department must vacate its training facility at the airport by December 31, with relocation costs exceeding $800,000 and no confirmed funding source. Loss of the facility could drop Petersburg's insurance rating from Class 4 to Class 5.
Petersburg's police department has three dispatcher vacancies and two patrol officer openings, while fire and EMS rely on volunteers who respond at roughly one-third to one-half capacity, raising concerns as the borough considers expanding services to Thomas Bay.
The Senate Health and Social Services Committee adopted a committee substitute for SB 281 that removes PA scope language, adds background check requirements, and revises the rural health advisory council structure.
Alaska State Troopers are investigating a domestic assault in Napakiak under an attempted murder classification, highlighting the severity of violence against women in rural Alaska Native communities where law enforcement operates from distant regional hubs rather than local presence.
Alaska troopers arrested three Bethel residents in a large alcohol-smuggling operation into the Yukon-Kuskokwim region, where local bans make bootlegging a lucrative black market.
The House Labor and Commerce Committee heard testimony on House Bill 234, which would define emergency dispatchers as first responders and adjust their retirement benefits to match those of peace officers and firefighters.
Senate Finance Committee heard testimony Monday on an omnibus crime bill that would criminalize AI-generated child sexual abuse material and raise Alaska's age of consent from 16 to 18 across more than 24 criminal offenses.
The Senate Judiciary Committee recommended two gubernatorial appointees — Anna Cometa seeking a second term and Joel Hard, a new nominee with 40 years in law enforcement — for confirmation to the Alaska Violent Crimes Compensation Board, which has seen a 32% increase in applications since 2022.
Court Services Officers arrested two men on outstanding contraband warrants at separate Mat-Su correctional facilities within 24 hours. Both men were already in custody on unrelated charges.
The Alaska House of Representatives voted to allocate $2 million from Arctic National Wildlife Refuge lease revenues to reestablish a state trooper post in Talkeetna, addressing public safety concerns along the Parks Highway corridor.
A 42-year-old Anchorage man died after an ATV crash on a trail near Friday Creek in the Knik River area. Companions found him unresponsive and trapped under his ATV.
DOT&PF restricted a 13-mile stretch of Chiniak Highway (MP 20.1-33.39) to 50% of legal axle load effective May 27 — the most severe cut in the SouthCoast Region's spring breakup notice. Issued by Maintenance and Operations Specialist Erik Norberg. A follow-up SouthCoast notice was issued May 29 effective June 1; current status should be verified at dot.alaska.gov/mscve before publishing.
Twenty-four officers completed the Alaska Law Enforcement Training Academy's 17-week basic program Wednesday in Sitka. Graduates head to state trooper posts and municipal departments across Alaska.
The Senate Finance Subcommittee reduced House additions for domestic violence and sexual assault programs by 50 percent while approving a $357 million Department of Public Safety budget.
A late-night traffic stop near mile 114 of the Richardson Highway on May 30 produced two criminal charges: Alice Umetsu faces a fentanyl possession count and convicted felon John Brown faces a weapons charge.
The House Tribal Affairs Committee heard House Bill 384, which would add tribal governments to the definition of victim counseling centers, extending confidentiality protections to survivors who seek help from tribal organizations.
A 36-year-old Fritz Creek man already on conditions of release for a prior DUI-drug charge rolled his vehicle on East End Road on May 16 while impaired by methamphetamine. A summons for DUI and violation of release conditions was issued July 1, six weeks after the crash.
Local residents near Toksook Bay and Tununak extinguished a lightning-caused tundra fire a mile long with 7-foot flame lengths on June 24 before the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection could reach the remote Nelson Island location, 116 miles southwest of Bethel.
by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago2 min readAI
