Connect with us

Alaska

OPINION: VPSO growth strengthens Alaska public safety

Published

on

OPINION: VPSO growth strengthens Alaska public safety


By James Hoelscher

Updated: 34 seconds ago Published: 19 minutes ago

Under Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s leadership and with reliable funding from the Alaska Legislature, Alaska’s Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) program has experienced substantial growth, reflecting Alaska’s commitment to public safety across its communities. The number of VPSOs working in our remote communities was once at 42 officers in January 2020 and has grown to a current total of 79, along with the introduction of Regional Public Safety Officers (RPSOs) and competitive wage adjustments, the VPSO program has become more robust and better equipped to serve the needs of rural Alaska.

Advertisement

This increase in officer numbers is a significant accomplishment, expanding the safety network across Alaska’s rural communities. Each new VPSO represents not only an additional first responder but also a vital resource for residents in need of emergency response, search and rescue, and community safety support. By nearly doubling the number of officers in just a few years, the program has strengthened statewide readiness and improved the capacity to address Alaska’s unique rural challenges.

A key initiative supporting this growth has been the addition of Regional Public Safety Officers (RPSOs). RPSOs enhance the effectiveness of local VPSOs by providing a layer of specialized regional support, acting as a resource that multiple communities can rely on in times of need. They can respond quickly with the Alaska State Troopers to large-scale incidents, provide backup to VPSOs during demanding situations, and share essential resources across multiple villages. This novel regional approach ensures that communities have comprehensive public safety coverage including their local VPSO, regional RPSO, and the Alaska State Troopers.

Another major factor in the VPSO program’s expansion has been the increase in wages, making the role more competitive and sustainable as a career. Recognizing the high costs of living and the challenges of public safety work in rural Alaska, recent adjustments to VPSO compensation have made these positions more appealing to qualified candidates and have strengthened officer retention. This increase underscores the commitment required of VPSOs, who serve as the primary responders for some of Alaska’s most isolated communities. By offering competitive pay, the program attracts skilled individuals committed to public safety, building a more dedicated workforce equipped to serve Alaska’s rural residents.

These improvements in staffing, regional support through RPSOs, and wage enhancements have created a VPSO program that is more resilient and adaptable than ever before. VPSOs provide critical services to safeguard the well-being of residents, and the increased investment in personnel and resources underscores Alaska’s dedication to supporting its rural communities.

Looking ahead, the VPSO program will continue to focus on these priorities to ensure that Alaska’s rural communities have the support they need. We remain committed to working closely with Dunleavy, the Legislature, the regional VPSO grantees and Alaska’s villages to ensure that every village that wants a VPSO can have a VPSO.

Advertisement

James Hoelscher is currently the director of the Alaska Department of Public Safety’s Village Public Safety Officer Operations Division. He previously worked as the chief of police in the Village of Hooper Bay, as a Village Public Safety Officer in Hooper Bay, and for the Alaska Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office.

The views expressed here are the writer’s and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here.





Source link

Alaska

Dozens of vehicle accidents reported, Anchorage after-school activities canceled, as snowfall buries Southcentral Alaska

Published

on

Dozens of vehicle accidents reported, Anchorage after-school activities canceled, as snowfall buries Southcentral Alaska


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Up to a foot of snow has fallen in areas across Southcentral as of Tuesday, with more expected into Wednesday morning.

All sports and after-school activities — except high school basketball and hockey activities — were canceled Tuesday for the Anchorage School District. The decision was made to allow crews to clear school parking lots and manage traffic for snow removal, district officials said.

“These efforts are critical to ensuring schools can safely remain open [Wednesday],” ASD said in a statement.

The Anchorage Police Department’s accident count for the past two days shows there have been 55 car accidents since Monday, as of 9:45 a.m. Tuesday. In addition, there have been 86 vehicles in distress reported by the department.

Advertisement
Snow measuring up to 17 inches deep in Anchorage, Alaska, on Jan. 6, 2026.(Alaska’s News Source)

The snowfall — which has brought up to 13 inches along areas of Turnagain Arm and 12 inches in Wasilla — is expected to continue Tuesday, according to latest forecast models. Numerous winter weather alerts are in effect, and inland areas of Southcentral could see winds up to 25 mph, with coastal areas potentially seeing winds over 45 mph.

Up to a foot or more of snow has fallen across Southcentral Alaska, with more snow expected...
Up to a foot or more of snow has fallen across Southcentral Alaska, with more snow expected through the day.(Alaska’s News Source)

Some areas of Southcentral could see more than 20 inches of snowfall by Wednesday, with the Anchorage and Eagle River Hillsides, as well as the foothills of the Talkeetna Mountain, among the areas seeing the most snowfall.

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Alaska

Yundt Served: Formal Charges Submitted to Alaska Republican Party, Asks for Party Sanction and Censure of Senator Rob Yundt

Published

on

Yundt Served: Formal Charges Submitted to Alaska Republican Party, Asks for Party Sanction and Censure of Senator Rob Yundt


Sen. Rob Yundt

On January 3, 2026, Districts 27 and 28 of the Alaska Republican Party received formal charges against Senator Rob Yundt pursuant to Article VII of the Alaska Republican Party Rules.

According to the Alaska Republican Party Rules: “Any candidate or elected official may be sanctioned or censured for any of the following
reasons:
(a) Failure to follow the Party Platform.
(b) Engagement in any activities prohibited by or contrary to these rules or RNC Rules.
(c) Failure to carry out or perform the duties of their office.
(d) Engaging in prohibited discrimination.
(e) Forming a majority caucus in which non-Republicans are at least 1/3 or more of the
coalition.
(f) Engaging in other activities that may be reasonably assessed as bringing dishonor to
the ARP, such as commission of a serious crime.”

Advertisement

Party Rules require the signatures of at least 3 registered Republican constituents for official charges to be filed. The formal charges were signed by registered Republican voters and District N constitutions Jerad McClure, Thomas W. Oels, Janice M. Norman, and Manda Gershon.

Yundt is charged with “failure to adhere and uphold the Alaska Republican Party Platform” and “engaging in conduct contrary to the principles and priorities of the Alaska Republican Party Rules.” The constituents request: “Senator Rob Yundt be provided proper notice of the charges and a full and fair opportunity to respond; and that, upon a finding by the required two-thirds (2/3) vote of the District Committees that the charges are valid, the Committees impose the maximum sanctions authorized under Article VII.”

If the Party finds Yundt guilty of the charges, Yundt may be disciplined with formal censure by the Alaska Republican Party, declaration of ineligibility for Party endorsement, withdrawal of political support, prohibition from participating in certain Party activities, and official and public declaration that Yundt’s conduct and voting record contradict the Party’s values and priorities.

Reasons for the charges are based on Yundt’s active support of House Bill 57, Senate Bill 113, and Senate Bill 92. Constituents who filed the charges argue that HB 57 opposes the Alaska Republican Party Platform by “expanding government surveillance and dramatically increasing education spending;” that SB 113 opposes the Party’s Platform by “impos[ing] new tax burdens on Alaskan consumers and small businesses;” and that SB 92 opposes the Party by “proposing a targeted 9.2% tax on major private-sector energy producer supplying natural gas to Southcentral Alaska.” Although the filed charges state that SB 92 proposes a 9.2% tax, the bill actually proposes a 9.4% tax on income from oil and gas production and transportation.

Many Alaskan conservatives have expressed frustration with Senator Yundt’s legislative decisions. Some, like Marcy Sowers, consider Yundt more like “a tax-loving social justice warrior” than a conservative.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Alaska

Pilot of Alaska flight that lost door plug over Portland sues Boeing, claims company blamed him

Published

on

Pilot of Alaska flight that lost door plug over Portland sues Boeing, claims company blamed him


The Alaska Airlines captain who piloted the Boeing 737 Max that lost a door plug over Portland two years ago is suing the plane’s manufacturer, alleging that the company has tried to shift blame to him to shield its own negligence.

The $10 million suit — filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Tuesday on behalf of captain Brandon Fisher — stems from the dramatic Jan. 5, 2024 mid-air depressurization of Flight 1282, when a door plug in the 26th row flew off six minutes after take off, creating a 2-by-4-foot hole in the plane that forced Fisher and co-pilot Emily Wiprud to perform an emergency landing back at PDX.

None of the 171 passengers or six crew members on board was seriously injured, but some aviation medical experts said that the consequences could have been “catastrophic” had the incident happened at a higher altitude.

Leani Benitez-Cardona, NTSB aerospace engineer, and Matthew Fox, NTSB chief technical advisor for materials, unpacking the door plug Sunday from Alaska Airlines flight 1282, a Boeing 737-9 MAX, in the materials laboratory at NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C.NTSB

Fisher’s lawsuit is the latest in a series filed against Boeing, including dozens from Flight 1282 passengers. It also names Spirit AeroSystems, a subcontractor that worked on the plane.

Advertisement

The lawsuit blames the incident on quality control issues with the door plug. It argues that Boeing caught five misinstalled rivets in the panel, and that Spirit employees painted over the rivets instead of reinstalling them correctly. Boeing inspectors caught the discrepancy again, the complaint alleges, but when employees finally reopened the panel to fix the rivets, they didn’t reattach four bolts that secured the door panel.

The complaint’s allegations that Boeing employees failed to secure the bolts is in line with a National Transportation Safety Board investigation that came to the conclusion that the bolts hadn’t been replaced.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending