Alaska is celebrating Police Memorial days over the next week leading up to National Peace Officers Memorial day May 15.
Alaska State Troopers Public Information Officer Megan Peters said the day is to honor families of fallen law enforcement officers and honoring officers’ sacrifices and service.
Peters: “And really tell them how much we appreciate them because you never know it might be the last time to hear it. I mean they have a hard job, we often run into people in some of the worst periods of their lives and we have to give people tickets, we have to enforce the laws but our officers do a lot of good. They protect people, they try to figure out what is going on and to provide justice to people who are being victimized.”
The day hits home for Peters as a family member of a fallen Alaska State Trooper; her father, James Moen was out on patrol when his aircraft crashed for unknown reasons near Lake Illiamna in 2001.
He had been a Wildlife Trooper for 18 years, some of which were spent in the Soldotna area.
Peters: “He absolutely loved being a Trooper and he was such a great influence. I love running into people that remember my dad whether it was working with him, neighbors, everything and I’m very proud to have conversations with people whenever they’re just like yeah I remember and it’s good to keep these memories alive with the people who work so hard to keep our state safe.”
Peters said the last local officer to die in the line of duty was Kenai Police Officer John Patrick Watson on December 25, 2003.