Public Safety
RSSAlaska News tracks public safety coverage including law enforcement operations, emergency response, regulatory enforcement.
Teen dies after vehicle goes into lake near Pasagshak
A 17-year-old boy died Monday after his vehicle went into Lake Rose Tead near Pasagshak on Kodiak Island. He was trapped under the vehicle in water and mud when troopers arrived.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Three killed in Seward Highway crash near Mile 80
Three people died Monday afternoon in a collision between a motorcycle and a Subaru on the Seward Highway near Mile 80 in Anchorage. Police ask witnesses or anyone with dash camera footage to contact investigator Casey Johnson.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Anchorage Police Publish 2026 Missing Persons, Homicide Solve Rates
Anchorage Police Department published 2026 missing persons investigation and homicide solve rate data on a new web page focused on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons, providing accountability metrics for cases that disproportionately affect Alaska Native communities.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago2 min read
Anchorage Assembly considers new Public Safety Commission with community focus
Anchorage Assembly considers reviving a Public Safety Commission with nine voting community members and five non-voting agency reps. Commission would advise on police and fire policies, hold public hearings, and request records, but cannot investigate or discipline. Public hearing set for May 26.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago2 min read
Person dies after officer-involved shooting in Utqiaġvik
A person died Saturday after an officer-involved shooting in Utqiaġvik. Alaska State Troopers are investigating.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago1 min read
Kodiak drill conductor course trains mariners to lead safety drills
Alaska Marine Safety Education Association offers a two-day Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor Course in Kodiak on May 27-28 to train commercial fishermen as certified safety leaders who can lead emergency drills and meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements.
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min read
Alaska EMS Compact Folded Into Omnibus Bill, Passes Senate 13-7
Alaska Senate passed SB 256 on May 20, joining an interstate compact that lets EMTs and paramedics work across state lines without separate licenses in each state, while Alaska keeps full authority over discipline and scope of practice.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min readFBI steps up Alaska security task force, adds agents to state
FBI expands Alaska task force to fight drug trafficking from Canada and crimes on tribal lands. • DEA intercepted 10 kilos of fentanyl and 5 kilos of methamphetamine bound for Alaska in April. • Sen. Murkowski raised crisis of missing and murdered Alaska Native women, 75% of cases. • FBI piloting Starlink communications on tribal lands for investigations.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Crews battle South Anchorage vegetation fire near 100th Avenue and C Street
Firefighters responded to a vegetation fire in South Anchorage near 100th Avenue and C Street on Tuesday afternoon, with the fire growing from 2 to 5 acres and threatening one trailer.
by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min read
Senate Finance advances public safety bill with parole board overhaul
The Senate Finance Committee advanced a comprehensive public safety bill Saturday that restructures the parole board, creates an address confidentiality program for crime victims, and establishes a tribal liaison in corrections.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readTrue North Recovery proposes Fairview behavioral health center
The Anchorage Assembly Public Health and Safety Committee heard a presentation from True North Recovery on a proposed peer-led behavioral health navigation center in Fairview, sparking debate over location and community impact.
by Alaska News4mo ago5 min read
Fatal trailer fire in rural Big Lake outside fire-district boundaries
A fatal travel trailer fire on Burma Road in Big Lake on May 6, 2026 exposed gaps in rural fire protection coverage after area firefighters declined to respond to the incident outside established fire district boundaries.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago1 min readSenate panel advances resolution urging federal reclassification of 911 dispatchers
The Alaska Senate Labor and Commerce Committee unanimously advanced a resolution Monday urging Congress to reclassify emergency dispatchers from clerical workers to protective service workers, giving them access to federal benefits currently available only to other first responders.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readHouse panel advances statewide evacuation alert system
The House Community and Regional Affairs Committee unanimously approved legislation establishing red, yellow, and green as standardized evacuation alert levels across Alaska.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
Mat-Su Emergency Services Certifies 25 Responders in Trench Rescue
Twenty-five emergency responders from across the Matanuska-Susitna Borough are completing week-long trench rescue technician certification training to address the common hazard of trench collapses in the region.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
Commission Approves Explosives Storage Site for Avalanche Control
The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit allowing the Alaska Department of Transportation to build an explosives storage facility and heliport near Girdwood for avalanche mitigation operations along the Seward Highway.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago3 min read
Alaska moves to standardize wildfire evacuation alerts statewide
The Alaska House Community & Regional Affairs Committee heard testimony on legislation to codify a uniform 'Ready, Set, Go' color-coded evacuation system across the state, addressing confusion that arose during the 2022 Clear Fire when inconsistent local systems left residents uncertain about danger zones.
by Alaska News5mo ago3 min read
Valdez Fire Department Contains Late-Night House Fire on Gulkana Street
The Valdez Fire Department contained a late-night structure fire on Gulkana Street on April 27 with no reported injuries, though details on property damage and cause remain limited.
by Alaska News5mo ago1 min readKodiak Trooper Uses Surfboard to Rescue Teen from Island Lake Ice
Alaska State Trooper Anthony Will used a surfboard to rescue a hypothermic teenager who fell through thin ice on Kodiak's Island Lake on April 25, with Sergeant Nathan Walsh towing them to shore where fire department personnel provided medical care.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min readTwo Skiers Rescued After Avalanche Near Turnagain Pass
Two skiers were injured and rescued after an avalanche at Falls Creek Trail near mile 106 of the Seward Highway on April 17, 2026.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min readAssembly Approves Study of Wildfire Service Area for High-Risk Zones
The Anchorage Assembly unanimously approved a resolution directing the administration to study creating a dedicated wildfire interface service area to fund fire protection in high-risk wildland-urban interface zones.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago2 min read
163 Alaskans Wait for Life-Saving Organ Transplants
Life Center Northwest presented data showing 163 Alaskans currently await organ transplants, with most needing kidneys and having to travel to Washington for procedures.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min readAlaska parole board grants 85% of recent applications, reversing trend
The Alaska parole board has dramatically increased its approval rate for discretionary parole applications to 85% in recent days, up from lower rates in previous years due to SB 91 repeal and COVID-19 impacts.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min readHouse committee advances bill recognizing dispatchers as first responders
HB 234 would classify emergency dispatchers as first responders, opening access to federal grants and addressing staffing challenges in rural Alaska.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago2 min read
