Two women were murdered in Trapper Creek in the summer of 2023. Since then, the Trapper Creek community has revived discussions to reinstate the Alaska State Trooper post. The Talkeetna Post located at the Y was closed in 2015 due to budget cuts.
At their meeting in May, the Trapper Creek Community Council hosted Captain Kid Chan to discuss the potential for a post at the local Trapper Creek Park or elsewhere in the Upper Valley. Chan reiterated the lack of funding and staffing to support a post in the area. And he also reiterated that the B Detachment, which includes the Upper Valley, is the size of West Virginia. There may only be five Troopers staffing the area at a time.
The Council had hoped to have discussions with the Trapper Creek Community Services Association, the Board that runs the Park, prior to the meeting. However, schedules didn’t allow that. At their latest meeting, the TCCSA Board received pushback from other members of the community saying they did not want the Trooper Post to be located at the Park.
Eight community members spoke in opposition to the Post with none in favor, according to TCCSA Chair Amanda Gardland. She says as of now, the Board has determined that the Park is not the right place for a Trooper Post. But, Garland says, circumstances may change in the future as funding and staffing become available and the community has more of an opportunity to ask questions and explore options. Most residents do want additional Trooper presence in the Upper Valley, but Trapper Creek residents say not in the Park.
In the interest of full disclosure, this reporter is a member of the TCCSA, but was not present for the most recent vote or discussion regarding the Trooper Post.
