An Anchorage, Alaska State Trooper was arrested by the Alaska Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Wasilla Police Department and Kenai Police Department. 40-year-old Wasilla resident Garrett Willis was arrested on multiple domestic violence assault charges.
On November 2, 2021, the Alaska State Troopers were made aware of an alleged instance of domestic violence in the Wasilla area perpetrated by Willis. This incident occurred within the City of Wasilla, and the Wasilla Police Department opened an investigation into the incident. During their investigation, additional instances of domestic violence were identified from 2018 – 2020, which occurred within the Mat-Su Valley and Kenai against two additional victims. The Alaska State Troopers, with the assistance of the Kenai Police Department, investigated the new instances.
After a thorough investigation, the Alaska Department of Law’s Office of Special Prosecutions independently reviewed the case. On November 15, 2021, an arrest warrant was sought for Willis and granted by the Alaska District Court in Palmer. Troopers arrested Willis on November 15th without incident on two charges of 2nd degree domestic violence assault, three charges of 3rd degree domestic violence assault, and three charges of 4th degree domestic violence assault. The investigation is still ongoing, and additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues. None of the alleged offenses occurred while Willis was on duty.
Colonel Bryan Barlow, in a Monday press conference said:
“I want the public to know that we hold our troopers to an extremely high standard, and we will aggressively investigate any alleged criminal behavior and hold that employee accountable for their actions. Today is certainly an unfortunate day for the Alaska State Troopers and I hope that the public knows that Alaskans can continue to trust their Alaska State Troopers. There are literally hundreds of exemplary troopers out there everyday working day and night, tirelessly to provide quality public safety services. Domestic violence is certainly a plague in our state. Unfortunately, it often goes unnoticed in the shadows of our communities. I’d like to acknowledge the victims in these cases for coming forward and making these actions known to law enforcement so that we can hold the perpetrator accountable.”
Willis has been an Alaska State Trooper since 2003. He most recently worked on an Alaska-based federal taskforce in Anchorage. Willis has been on leave since November 10, 2021.
Anyone who believes they have additional information about this investigation or believes they or someone they know may have been a victim of Willis, is encouraged to contact the Alaska State Troopers at (907) 352-5401.
