Bernier Proposes Citizen Militia of Sorts

Legislative priorities were the main topic at the November 21st Assembly meeting. Among the state priorities was support to increase the presence of Alaska State Troopers in the Mat-Su Valley.

Though not included in the proposed priorities backup, District 7 Assemblymember Bernier proposed a citizen militia to answer to the lack of Trooper presence in more rural areas.

“We used to have militias back in the old days and I fully support a militia. Well, maybe not that drastic.”

In particular, he recalled his visit to the Trapper Creek Community Council meeting in July. Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner Cockrell, several Troopers, and representatives from Senator Showers and Representative McCabe’s office were also present. Cockrell informed the community that there were 60 Trooper vacancies and they had trouble filling them, often leaving only five Troopers to patrol much of the Mat-Su Valley on any shift.

Bernier says the time for Trooper response to the Upper Valley and other remote areas is hours away, if they even show. 

His proposed citizen militia of sorts would pull residents together for training and enable the community to respond before Troopers. Bernier was asked specifically what the request would be to the State.

“Funding for these types of programs for training up the citizens in those areas to properly handle and diffuse situations.”

Though the proposal had Assembly support, it was not included in the initial legislative priorities package. Assemblymembers asked Bernier to develop the idea along with a funding request as a resolution to be submitted as part of the priorities package to the State. 

Representative McCabe says any program to arm and deputize our citizens would most certainly require Trooper involvement for background checks as well as training. McCabe says his support for a program like this would depend on public support, Troopers, and training. Ultimately, he says community is key. 

McCabe points to a modified combination of the Village Public Safety Officer program (VPSO), emergency medical training, the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and reserve law enforcement officers as a possible way to train local residents that would be able to respond in less time than Troopers.