Alaska State Troopers: 2026 Alaska Police Memorial Day Ceremony

The simple flag of Alaska from G. Alaska here.

Thank you, Midnight Suns A Cappella Chorus. Good afternoon and welcome to the annual Alaska Police Memorial Day Ceremony. I am Department of Public Safety Deputy Commissioner Leon Morgan. During our ceremony, people in civilian attire will salute by placing their hand over their heart. Officers in uniform will use a military hand salute.

Commander of the Troops, please bring the formation to attention and present arms.

Please stand while a color guard from the Anchorage Police Department, Alaska State Troopers, and the Anchorage Airport Police and Fire present the colors.

Hoist the colors!

Please be seated.

Welcome family members of the fallen officers, distinguished guests, and all Alaskans to the 2026 Alaska Police Memorial Day Ceremony. On this somber occasion, we honor the 69 law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty while serving the people of Alaska. We are recognizing every fallen law enforcement officer for whom a record can be found, whether federal, state, borough, or local. The list of those making the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Alaska dates back to 1897. Before we proceed with the ceremony, the Memorial Committee would like to acknowledge and thank the organizations whose generous donations have contributed to our Alaska Law Enforcement Officers Memorial: the Fraternal Order of Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska Peace Officers Association Anchorage Chapter, and the Alaska Police and Fire Chaplains.

Chief Chaplain Diane Peterson will now say a few words.

Thank you and welcome. I want to first say thank you to the Anchorage Fire Department for the many years that they've allowed us to use and borrow their bell. Sometimes the bell couldn't be found till the last moment, so this year we are very grateful to present a beautiful bell monument. This project was taken on by my granddaughter Sienna. Sisi, stand up.

Cici has been around and grown up around first responders. When she heard of the need for the bell and she saw the struggle several years, she stepped up to lead this project. So at the end of the ceremony, Cici also has a gift for all of you. She has an angel coin for you, and we thank you for your service. This bell is in honor of all law enforcement who have given the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, to protect and serve.

Today we dedicate this bell from the chaplains and the Anchorage Police Department officers and the whole department, and we say thank you.

Thank you, Chief Peterson.

¡Hola! President John F. Kennedy wrote the executive order creating Police Memorial Day and Police Week in 1962. It was among his final acts as our president. His assassination is remembered as a national tragedy, an event that focused the thoughts of a generation. Sadly, an officer killed while investigating the president's death was among the first honored at Police Memorial Day.

The law enforcement officers in Alaska are here today in mixed formation. Federal, state, borough, and local officers are side by side as a reminder that we stand as one to protect and serve. This ceremony is also a reminder that the names of this memorial represent people who had families. Those families have been deprived of their loved ones. We thank each of them for their sacrifice.

Now, Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James E. Cockerell will speak.

Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us today on this solemn day of remembrance. Across Alaska, in our cities, On our road-connected communities and our most remote villages, we pause today to honor the 69 law enforcement officers who gave their lives in the service of others. Their names have been etched into the memorial. These are not just names carved into stone. They are our family, our friends, and each with a story, each with a legacy.

Their dedication did depend— did not depend on jurisdiction, badge, department, or uniform. They serve one mission: to protect the people of this great state of Alaska, to protect the innocent from the wicked, to hold those that have victimized Alaskans accountable, and to protect our resources. And today we stand united, honor that service. And it's just as important to recognize the families of the fallen here today. Please know that you have my deepest sympathies.

Your sacrifices felt deeply. Your loved ones' names, their legacies, and their contributions endure not only in the memorial but in the daily work done by every officer, every trooper, every public safety professional across the state. Alaska law enforcement community is unlike any other in the nation. Our officers, troopers, DPSOs, investigators, correctional professionals, and dispatchers work across the landscape larger than most countries. They respond in darkness, in storms, across mountains, tundras, and coastline.

They serve communities 100 miles apart, yet remain bound together by purpose and by unwavering commitment to protect life. Today we honor the Alaskans who gave everything in that service. As we reflect on the lives we honor today, we also reflect on the responsibilities left to each of us. To protect those who protect others. That means better support, stronger partnerships, and a commitment across the entire state law enforcement family to ensure every officer and every responder comes home safely.

Our strength comes with unity.

State agencies, local departments, tribal partners, BPSOs, and federal colleagues are separate organizations, but we are one community. The sacrifice of the fallen reminds us that we share a common mission and that we must stand together to achieve it. Their examples call us to lead with integrity, to act with courage, to serve with loyalty, and respond with compassion. And remember that the oath we took is more than just a promise to ourselves. It's a solemn commitment to each other and to the people of Alaska.

As we close this Monument reflection, let us carry forward the legacy of those we honor. Let us serve with the same sense of duty they embodied, embodied, and let us move forward with renewed commitment to one another, to our communities, and to the mission that binds us here today. May their memories be strengthened and may their service guide us. And may we never forget the heroes who protected this great state with their lives. Thank you.

I'd like to now introduce our keynote speaker, U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, Michael Heyman.

Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Michael Heyman, and I'm the United States Attorney for the District of Alaska. A'akwaxá. I first want to thank the Alaska State Troopers for allowing me to speak today on what I think is aptly called a sobering Day of Remembrance. My office prosecutes federal crimes all across the state within the physical boundaries of Alaska, as well as those committed against Alaskans, and we're privileged to work alongside our law enforcement officers every single day.

Their work is a pillar to our public safety, is essential to the success of our prosecutions, and I have repeatedly been blown away by their dedication to the communities, respect for victims, and hunger for justice.

Unfortunately, in recent history, we've seen a troubling surge in violence against law enforcement across our country. Norms have changed. It's becoming commonplace and often encouraged.

It's unremarkable to read or hear about some new outrageous threat to law enforcement, oftentimes on social media.

It is now to a point where local media outlets are not even reporting on these incidents. And just this morning, I learned about an incident in Oregon for instance, where a federal building had been breached. In the process, there was an assault on federal law enforcement officers.

I went home— I went back to my office, excuse me, and I actively searched for some information about that assault, something that had occurred right after the incident. And there was but a blip of information from the local media outlets, something that I didn't hear about until this morning that happened in January of this year. Yet actual shootouts and violent altercations between citizens and law enforcement have become standard fare. And while we are distanced from the rest of the country, we're not immune to some of these same problems that are affecting the lower 48. My office has seen several instances and are regularly receiving information with respect to resisting arrest.

Sometimes those incidents escalate to violence, sometimes to extreme violence where officers are even shot in the process.

We had one case recently that passed through the federal system where local law enforcement were responding to a felony possession case. Felon is not supposed to possess firearm on the streets of Alaska. Something that we deal with pretty much on a daily basis in the federal system. Officers arrived and attempted to disarm that individual.

Within the struggle, the individual ended up firing a weapon that went through his hip. The bullet passed through the individual's hip and wounded the officer in the knee.

Now, we're thankful to the law enforcement officers for resolving that particular incident But it's a sign of the commonality of the violence that's occurring on our law enforcement. Now, some law enforcement in this audience, especially the, the uniformed ones, are probably shrugging their shoulders thinking, "That's just another day," because they wake up in anticipation that something like that could happen every single day. Well, to the rest of us, that is remarkable. It really is remarkable. Stepping up ready to take the call, doing what needs to be done regardless of the danger is remarkable.

So now nearly 130 years have passed since the first law enforcement officer in Alaska was killed. 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.

Law enforcement in our state wake up every single day ready to serve, ready to enforce federal, state, and local laws, ready to step into action and protect our communities. They are often the voice at the other end of the phone lending their support. They may be the very ones that are responding to that 911 call, fully prepared to do whatever is necessary. They're the people that protect our children, including my own, from eating fentanyl pills that look like Skittles at school.

And sometimes they are all that stands between life and death. Prepared to make that ultimate sacrifice.

They do this all with the hope of simply making it home each day to their own families.

So for the agencies with a more conspicuous presence, like the APD, FBI, troopers, to the more covert agencies that typically remain out of the spotlight, U.S. Marshals Service, IRS Criminal Investigations, and many more, that quietly protect and serve. We thank you for your commitment to Alaska. And we also wouldn't have a vibrant law enforcement community without our families. Families of the brave agents, detectives, troopers, marshals, officers, etc., that sacrifice their own interests on a daily basis to— for the loved ones that give back to their communities.

Families that are there for law enforcement officers when they wake up for these typical days and are there at the end of these typical yet remarkable days that I described. They're the legacy left behind when their loved ones make that ultimate sacrifice.

Families are the bedrock of our law enforcement community, and I thank you.

So on this Day of Remembrance, and reflection to the current law enforcement officers and their families, to our fallen brothers and sisters and their families. Your sacrifice does not go unnoticed. Thank you for everything that you have done and for everything that you will continue to do.

Flags have been placed on the lawn here today to represent each of the fallen. Our memorial wreath is composed of 69 red roses, one for each of the fallen. There is also a single white rose to symbolize all those officers, standing as one, who are currently serving the citizens of the state of Alaska. As we speak, there are hundreds of officers across the state that cannot be here today because they are on duty, vigilantly patrolling the skies, roadways, waterways, trails, and boardwalks of our great state and dutifully protecting the people of Alaska. Anchorage Police Department Chief Sean Case and Alaska State Troopers Colonel Maurice Hughes will perform the final call.

After each name during our final call, The bell will toll.

Deputy U.S. Marshal William C. Watts, U.S. Marshal Service, September 1st, 1897. Deputy U.S. Marshal James Mark Rowan, U.S.

Marshal Service, February 1st, 1898. Chief Alvin G. Miller, Fairbanks Police Department, November 2nd, 1908. Marshal Charles H. Wiley, City of Seward, October 1st— October 4th, 1917.

John Fraser Pugh, U.S. Customs, October 26, 1918. Deputy U.S. Marshal Clyde D. Calhoun, U.S. Marshal Service, February 12, 1919. Deputy U.S.

Marshal Isaac Evans, U.S. Marshal Service, September 1, 1919.

Chief John J. Sturgis, Anchorage Police Department, February 20th, 1921. Deputy U.S. Marshal J.L. Anders, U.S. Marshal Service, September 9th, 1921.

Chief Henry C. Calhoun, Anchorage Police Department, January 3rd, 1924. Deputy U.S. Marshal James E. Hill, U.S. Marshal Service, October 30th, 1924. Deputy U.S.

Marshal Edwin H. Sherman, U.S. Marshal Service, April 21st, 1930. Agents George John B. Kiehls, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, September 1, 1954. U.S.

Marshal Clarence E. Jack Toon, U.S. Marshal Service, February 10, 1955. Agent Clarence J. Rhode, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, August 21, 1958.

Agent Stanley Fredrickson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, August 21st, 1958. Officer Doris Wayne Barber, Sitka Police Department, July 28th, 1960. Airman First Class Roy Lee Hursley, Iceland Air Force Base Police, February 27th, 1963.

Officer Leroy Garvin Buslov, Department of Fish and Game, March 5th, 1964. Officer Gary George Wufell, Department of Fish and Game, March 5th, 1964.

Officer Donald Thomas Dull, Juneau Police Department, October 19th, 1964. Officer Kenneth Grant Nuschka, Craig Police Department, January 30th, 1966. Officer Benjamin Benjamin Franklin Strong, Anchorage Police Department, January 4th, 1968. Officer Willingham G. Falmer Jr., Anchorage Police Department, December 26th, 1970. Chief Thomas Charles Dillon, Bethel Police Department, November 19th, 1972.

Trooper Dennis Finbar Cronin, Alaska State Troopers, February 18th, 1974.

Officer Earl Ray Hoggard, Ketchikan Police Department, March 30th, 1974. Trooper Larry Robert Carr, Alaska State Troopers, December 11th, 1974.

Trooper Frank Stewart Rodman, Alaska State Troopers, December 11, 1974. Officer Jonathan Paul Flora, Anchorage Police Department, September 8, 1975. First Sergeant C.W. Walt Zahn, Alaska State Troopers, October 26th, 1978. Officer Richard James Adair, Juneau Police Department, April 17th, 1979.

Officer Jimmy Earl Kennedy, Juneau Police Department, April 17th, 1979.

Officer Harry Edward Kier, Anchorage Police Department, October 28th, 1980. Trooper Roland Edgar Chaballier, Alaska State Troopers, April 3rd, 1982. Trooper John David Stinson, Fish and Wildlife Protection, January 14, 1983.

Officer Gordon Brewster Bartell, Kodiak Police Department, January 15, 1983. Trooper Troy Lynn Duncan, Alaska State Trooper, May 19, 1984.

Sergeant Dave Cameron Harris, Fort Richardson Military Police, July 23, 1984.

Officer Ignigis John Charlie, Aluknuk Police Department, May 10, 1985. Officer Harry Biddington Hanson, Anchorage Police Department, July 17, 1986.

Officer Ronald Eugene Zimmann, Village Public Safety Officer, October 22, 1986. Officer Louis Gordon Meisel, Anchorage Police Department, June 6, 1989.

Officer Anthony Flip Jones, Dillingham Police Department, February 12, 1992. Officer Carl W. Reichers, Juneau Police Department, May 4, 1992.

Sergeant Robert L. Biddick, Alaska State Troopers, October 11, 1992.

1994. Deputy Commissioner C.E. Swackhammer, Department of Public Safety, October 11, 1994. Officer Dan Richard Seeley, Anchorage Police Department, October 26, 1996. Trooper Bruce Allen Heck, Alaska State Troopers, January 10, 1997.

Officer John Kevin Lamb, Fairbanks Police Department, January 1, 1998. Sergeant Dave Calvin Churchill, Fish and Wildlife Protection, September 16, 1998. Special Agent Richard L. Lutt Jr., Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, January 31, 1999. Officer James Arlen Rowland Jr., Palmer Police Department, May 15, 1999. Trooper James Arthur Mullen Jr., Senior, Fish and Wildlife Protection, June 21, 2001.

Officer Justin Todd Wollum, Anchorage Police Department, July 9, 2001. Trooper Hans Peter Luther Rohler, Rolly, Alaska State Troopers. November 24, 2001.

Officer James Hesterberg, Department of Corrections, November 19, 2002.

Ranger Thomas O'Hara, National Park Service, December 19, 2002. Officer John Patrick Watson, Kenai Police Department, December 25th, 2003.

Officer Charles F. Collins, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, August 15th, 2010.

Sergeant Anthony Wallace, Puna Police Department, August 29th, 2010.

Officer Matthew Tokohoa, Puna Police Department, August 29, 2010.

VPSO Thomas O. Medall, Village Public Safety Officer, Manitowoc, March 19, 2013.

Trooper Tadge Toll, Alaska State Troopers, March 30, 2013.

Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Travis Obendorf, United States Coast Guard, December 18, 2013. Sergeant Patrick Scott Johnson, Alaska State Troopers, May 1, 2014. Trooper Gabriel Rich, Alaska State Troopers, May 1st, 2014.

Officer Alan Brandt, Fairbanks Police Department, October 27th, 2016. Officer Curtis Worland, Alaska State Troopers, December 13th, 2022.

Family members, at this time we invite you to step up and pay tribute to your loved one as well as other fallen officers.

Chaplain Diane Peterson and Sienna Peterson will now read the Police Officer's Prayer.

A police officer's prayer. Lord, I ask for courage. Courage to face and conquer my own fears. Courage to take me where others will not go. I ask for strength.

Strength of body to protect others and strength of spirit to lead others. I ask for dedication. Dedication to my job to do it well. Dedication to my community to keep it safe. Give me, Lord, concern for others who trust me and compassion for those who need me.

And please, Lord, through it all, be by my side.

To all law enforcement, I offer this prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this day, a day to remember, to honor those who gave their life in service to others. We are thankful to the officers who continue with courage as they boldly go into crisis. Please diminish the heavy burden they carry and keep them in the safety of your grace. In your holy name we pray.

Amen.

Would everyone please stand for the 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps performed by the Airport Police and Fire Honor Guard. Commander of the troops, bring the formation to attention.

Ready, aim, fire!

Ready, aim, fire! Ready, aim, fire! Reset, halt!

Commander of the troops, return the colors. Return the colors.

Oh, bird! Fuck!

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for paying tribute to the federal, state, borough, and local law enforcement officers who have fallen, and to those who are still serving the citizens of Alaska. Commander of the Troops, dismiss the formation.