Peace Officer Memorial Ceremony held in North Pole

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - On May 19, a memorial service was held for law enforcement officers in Alaska who have died in the line of duty.

The Trooper Gabe Rich and Trooper Scott Johnson Memorial Park saw law enforcement officers, soldiers, and community leaders gather to pay tribute to the fallen.

Joe Dallaire, Fairbanks District Attorney, gave the keynote speech, saying, “What our police officers do every day often goes unseen and unknown by many, but know that their sense of duty compels them to action.”

Names of Fairbanks and North Police Officers, Village Public Safety Officers, Alaska State Troopers, and many more agencies adorn the memorial wall at the park.

All 73 of these names were read out by a variety of speakers, including Captain Eric Spitzer with the Alaska State Troopers.

These incidents spanned the years from 1897 to 2022, ending with Court Services Officer Curtis Matthew Worland with the Alaska State Troopers, who died during a muskox attack on December 13, 2022.

A memorial wreath was presented, an invocation given by Chaplain Nils Degerlund with the North Pole Police Department. With a 21-gun salute, this year’s ceremony came to an end.

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