Trooper recruits hit the streets

July 10, 2019: This week Trooper Recruits began their approximately 13-week Field Training Evaluation Program (FTEP). Six Alaska State Trooper Recruits were posted in Fairbanks, three went to Soldotna and six are honing their skills in the Mat-Su Valley. The sole Alaska Wildlife Trooper Recruit is participating in FTEP in Palmer. All trooper recruits are expected to develop to the point of being able to perform all law enforcement functions independently.

“For the past few years, the Alaska State and Wildlife Troopers have struggled with vacancies. We are extremely excited to welcome these 15 Trooper Recruits into FTEP and are eager for them to put what they learned at the academy to use as they serve Alaskans,” said Public Safety Commissioner Amanda Price. “What is even more exciting, we will start another academy this fall with upward of 20 Trooper Recruits. We are closing the gap and intend on not only filling all of our vacancies but growing our force which will improve our services to Alaskans statewide. This recruitment effort will be sustained, and Alaska will see more Troopers serving them statewide.”

To reach FTEP, the State and Wildlife Trooper recruits had to complete 16 weeks of basic training to graduate the academy and go through an additional two weeks of training, known as Trooper Basic, before moving to their training posts to receive more tailored and advanced training in fish and wildlife investigations, boating safety, survival, commercial fisheries enforcement, critical stress management, shotgun training and search and rescue. They were also exposed to additional scenario-based training events.