This memorial may not be complete in the early years - if you know of any peace officers who have died as a result of their duties in Alaska, please write, with as much detail as possible on the officer and event.

The officers are listed in the chronological order of the dates of death.

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They Gave Their Lives While Serving Alaska

Deputy United States Marshal William Watts

September 1, 1897: shot while attempting an arrest on Admiralty Island.

Chief of Police Alvin Miller

Fairbanks Police Department

November 2, 1908: responded to a mentally disturbed woman in a local hotel. She shot him when he tried to contact her and he subsequently died from the gunshot wound.

Seward Night Patrolman Charles H. Wiley

October 4, 1917: died two days after being shot in a Seward hotel room during an investigation. Wiley shot and killed his assailant.

Deputy United States Marshal Isaac Evans

September 3, 1919: shot while attempting an arrest in Seward. His assaillant had murdered a prostitute in Anchorage. He was sentenced to life in prison, but escaped in 1940 and was never re-captured.

Chief of Police John J.Sturgus

Anchorage City Police Department

February 20, 1921: killed with his own gun, six weeks after formation of the one-man Department. Despite a $1,950 reward, the murderer was never caught.

Chief of Police Harry C. Kavanaugh

Anchorage City Police Department

January 2, 1924: shot while attempting to arrest a drunk in Anchorage - died January 3.

Deputy United States Marshal Clarence E. "Jack" Toone

February 10, 1955: killed in airplane crash 40 miles northeast of Dillingham.

Officer Doris Wayne Barber

Sitka Police Department

July 28, 1960: shot while serving a warrant.

Officer Leroy Garvin Bohuslov

Department of Fish & Game

March 5, 1964: killed in an aircraft crash near McGrath while conducting a caribou survey.

Officer Gary George Wohfiel

Department of Fish & Game

March 5, 1964: killed in an aircraft crash near McGrath while conducting a caribou survey.

Officer Donald Thomas Dull

Juneau Police Department

October 19, 1964: killed by an accidental gunshot.

Officer Kenneth Grant Nauska

Craig Police Department

January 30, 1966: shot from ambush while responding to a burglary.

Officer Benjamin Franklin Strong

Anchorage Police Department

January 4, 1968: shot during a liquor store robbery while on a stake-out that he had volunteered for.

Officer Thomas Charles Dillon

Bethel Police Department

November 19, 1972: shot while responding to a "shots fired" report at a taxi company.

Trooper Dennis Finbar Cronin

Alaska State Troopers

February 18, 1974: shot at Hillside, Anchorage during a narcotics investigation.

Officer Earl Ray Hoggard

Ketchikan Police Department

March 30, 1974: shot while responding to a disturbance.

Officer Larry Robert Carr

Alaska State Troopers

December 11, 1974: killed in the crash of a commercial aircraft near Kodiak.

Officer Frank Stuart Rodman

Alaska State Troopers

December 11, 1974: killed in the crash of a commercial aircraft near Kodiak.

Officer Jonathan Paul Flora

Anchorage Police Department

September 8, 1975: shot while responding to a drug-related burglary report.

Officer Richard James Adair

Juneau Police Department

March 17, 1979: shot while responding to a shooting incident.

Officer Jimmy Earl Kennedy

Juneau Police Department

March 17, 1979: shot while responding to a shooting incident.

Officer Harry Edward Kier

Anchorage Police Department

October 28, 1980: killed in a car crash while responding to a serious fire.

Trooper Roland Edgar "Skip" Chevalier, Jr.

Alaska State Troopers

April 3, 1982: shot at Cleary Summit, near Fairbanks while responding to a disturbance.

Officer John David Stimson

Fish & Wildlife Protection Agency

January 14, 1983: killed in a helicopter crash near Cordova while on a search-and-rescue mission.

Officer Gordon Brewster Bartel

Kodiak Police Department

January 15, 1983: shot and killed by a man he was citing for illegal camping in downtown Kodiak. Officer Bartel was 29 years old and had been with the Kodiak Police Department for two years.

Trooper Troy Lynn Duncan

Alaska State Troopers

May 19, 1984: shot near Manley Hot Springs while engaged in a manhunt by helicopter.

Officer David Cameron Harris

Fort Richardson Military Police

July 23, 1984: killed when a piece of steel hit his car as he was enroute to classes.

Officer Ignatius John Charlie

Alakanuk Police Department

May 10, 1985: shot after encountering two men who had just robbed a store.

Officer Harry Biddington Hanson

Anchorage Police Department

July 17, 1986: shot while attempting to apprehend a fugitive.

Officer Ronald Eugene Zimin

South Naknek Public Safety Department

October 22, 1986: shot from ambush while investigating a complaint.

Officer Louie Gordon Mizelle

Anchorage Police Department

June 6, 1989: shot from ambush after volunteering to respond to a "shots fired" report.

Officer Anthony Crawford Jones

Dillingham Police Department

February 12, 1992: shot while responding to a "shots fired" report.

Officer Karl William Reishus

Juneau Police Department

May 4, 1992: killed in a fall during a training exercise on mountain rescue techniques.

Sergeant Robert Lee Bittick

Alaska State Troopers

October 11, 1994: killed when the Grumman Goose he was flying crashed north of Haines.

Deputy Commissioner Claude Everett "Swack" Swackhammer

Department of Public Safety

October 11, 1994: killed when the Grumman Goose he was in crashed north of Haines.

Officer Dan Richard Seely

Anchorage Police Department

October 26, 1996: shot at Chugiak while serving a domestic violence warrant. The murderer then killed his two children, wounded his wife, and committed suicide.

Trooper Bruce Allen Heck

Alaska State Troopers

January 10, 1997: killed at Glenallen while attempting to make an arrest. In September 1999, a 61-mile stretch of the Glenn Highway was named the Trooper Bruce Heck Memorial Corridor; a memorial was erected at Mile 128, Eureka Summit.

Officer John Kevin Lamm

Fairbanks Police Department

January 1, 1998: shot with an AR-15 when he and two fellow officers went to check on a man who was thought to be suicidal. The Fairbanks Police Department has set up an online memorial site.

Sergeant David Calvin Churchill

Alaska Fish & Wildlife Protection

September 16, 1998: died of a heart attack while approaching hunters in the field.

Officer James Arland Rowland Jr.

Palmer Police Department

May 15, 1999: shot while investigating a man slumped over the wheel in the parking lot of the Carrs grocery store in Palmer.

Trooper James Arthur Moen

Alaska State Troopers Fish & Wildlife Protection

June 29, 2001: died in plane crash near Illiamna. More information here.

Officer Justin T. Wollam

Anchorage Police Department

July 9, 2001: killed in a head-on collision on the Glenn Highway while responding to a call regarding a vehicle driving erratically. More information here.

Trooper Hans-Peter Lothar Roelle

Alaska State Troopers

November 24, 2001: shot in Wasilla while investigating a domestic dispute. The killer then shot his two children and committed suicide. More information here.

Correctional Officer James C. "Jamie" Hesterberg

Alaska Department of Corrections

November 18, 2002: killed in an automobile accident that occurred while he and another officer were transporting prisoners to Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward. Four prisoners also died. More information here.

Officer John Watson

Kenai Police Department

December 25, 2003: shot and killed after locating a vehicle that was wanted by the Alaska State Troopers. When Officer Watson located the vehicle at a house, a struggle ensued with the male owner and Officer Watson was shot with his own service handgun. More information here.

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This memorial was initially assembled with the support of Judith Zundel at the Fraternal Order of Alaska State Troopers, based largely on research coordinated by Chaplain Bert McQueen of the Alaska Police Chaplain Ministries. Revised with additional information from Dr. William Wilbanks and Patrick Hames (Corporal, Alaska State Troopers, retired) - thank you all!

Also see the department memorial at the Anchorage Police Department site.

Police Departments in Alaska

Law Enforcement in Alaska, 1867-1997

Peace Officer Honour Roll - Yukon

1896 Annual Report, North-West Mounted Police, Yukon Detachment