III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 464 

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Alaska State Troopers. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 12, 2016 

Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself and Mr. SULLIVAN) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Alaska State 

Troopers. 

Whereas the 15th Alaska Territorial Legislature established 

the Territory of Alaska Highway Patrol in 1941 for the 

purpose of enforcing traffic codes in the Territory of 

Alaska; 

Whereas the jurisdiction of the Alaska Highway Patrol was 

expanded in 1945 in response to the need for a full spectrum police agency in the Territory of Alaska to address 

crimes outside the jurisdiction of local police departments; 

Whereas the Alaska Territorial Legislature created the Alaska Territorial Police in 1953, which became the Alaska 

State Police on the admission of Alaska to statehood; 


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•SRES 464 ATS 

Whereas the Alaska State Police was renamed the Alaska 

State Troopers in 1967; 

Whereas, in 1972, Governor of Alaska Bill Egan assigned responsibility and authority for the protection of the fish 

and wildlife resources of Alaska to the Department of 

Public Safety, leading to the formation of the Alaska 

Wildlife Troopers, which is part of the Alaska State 

Troopers; 

Whereas Alaska is 1⁄5 the size of the contiguous 48 States, 

consisting of— 

(1) 586,412 square miles of diverse terrain; 

(2) more than 3,000 rivers; 

(3) approximately 34,000 miles of coastline; and 

(4) over 200 communities, many of which are not 

connected to each other by a road; 

Whereas the daily responses to requests for law enforcement 

assistance presents unique challenges in Alaska seldom 

experienced in other States; 

Whereas through the use of airplanes, boats, snowmachines, 

helicopters, and all-terrain vehicles, the Alaska State 

Troopers are able to respond across vast areas of the 

Alaska wilderness, battling the extremes of climate and 

terrain, to ensure that each Alaskan receives an answer 

to a call for help; 

Whereas from the urban centers of Anchorage and Fairbanks 

to the small, isolated villages on the vast river systems 

in Alaska, the challenges of ensuring an effective law enforcement presence in Alaska are unequaled anywhere in 

the world; 

Whereas the Alaska State Troopers partners with tribal organizations throughout Alaska to sponsor the Village Public 


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•SRES 464 ATS 

Safety Officer program, which provides law enforcement, 

fire suppression, emergency medical, and search and rescue services to remote Alaska Native villages throughout 

the State of Alaska; 

Whereas the motto of the Alaska State Troopers is ‘‘Loyalty, 

Integrity, Courage, Compassion, Leadership, and Accountability’’; 

Whereas the approximately 390 commissioned officers and 

147 civilian personnel of the Alaska State Troopers have 

met the challenge of policing Alaska through their dedication, professionalism, and innovation; and 

Whereas 16 members of the Alaska State Troopers and predecessor agencies of the Alaska State Troopers and 2 Village Public Safety Officers have given their lives in the 

line of duty: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) congratulates the Alaska State Troopers on 

3 its 75th anniversary; and 

4 (2) expresses appreciation to the commissioned 

5 officers and civilian personnel of the Alaska State 

6 Troopers and to the Village Public Safety Officers, 

7 who are the ‘‘first responders of the last frontier’’, 

8 and to their families, for their service and sacrifice. 

Æ 


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