Some Alaska State Trooper dispatches aren’t posted online. A spokesperson says it’s not mandatory.

The Alaska State Troopers post in Nome. (Photo by Emily Hofstaedter/KNOM)

A spokesperson for Alaska State Troopers says some incidents may go unreported in the agency’s online daily dispatches. The spokesperson cited trooper workload as a reason.

Since late October, KNOM has reported on four incidents in which Alaska State Troopers responded to a community in the Bering Strait region but did not post an online public dispatch afterwards.

Two of those incidents without dispatches involved missing persons with accompanying search-and-rescue missions. Another involved the discovery of human remains. The last involved a fatal drowning.

The Alaska Department of Public Safety runs a public webpage listing trooper activity from communities around the state.

In an email to KNOM, DPS spokesperson Tim DeSpain explained that the daily dispatch page is meant to be “essentially a trooper blotter” that can be used as a resource for both media and the public to learn of activities that could be of public concern.

DeSpain wrote that there are a variety of reasons as to why an incident wouldn’t be entered into a public dispatch. One of those reasons, he wrote, is trooper workload.

Troopers at the Nome post confirmed they have been short-staffed this fall. On Nov. 21, there was only one trooper working both the Nome and Unalakleet posts.

Trooper Aileen Witrosky said a full staff should be five troopers in Nome and two in Unalakleet. As of Dec. 2, Witrosky said there were three troopers working at the Nome post, but in February they expect another.

One vacancy in Unalakleet was filled in November, leaving one open trooper position at that post for now. Both Unalakleet spots were vacant in October.

Witrosky said troopers work a two-weeks-on, two-weeks-off schedule.

According to the DPS website, the Nome post alone covers an area about the size of West Virginia, not including the distances over water to St. Lawrence Island and Diomede, which are also under the Nome post’s jurisdiction.

DeSpain wrote that DPS intends to “provide the timely release of information through this online tool.”

But community members like Danielle Topkok of the Teller Search and Rescue have shared concerns with KNOM that information isn’t being made public in a timely manner. She said having dispatches readily available helps them get more searchers and assist more quickly.

A recent search-and-rescue mission for a Brevig Mission man who went missing — and was later discovered deceased — never received a public posting.

In the case of a missing man from Elim, a missing person bulletin was issued by Alaska State Troopers, but no public dispatch was put online.

State troopers posted a dispatch for response to a drowning in Gambell after being contacted by KNOM. KNOM contacted state troopers about that incident on Oct. 23, and a public dispatch was subsequently posted. The incident was originally reported on Oct. 15.

DeSpain encourages anyone with a question about an incident, posted to the online dispatch or not, to reach out to the DPS Public Information Office.

KNOM - Nome

KNOM is our partner station in Nome. KTOO collaborates with partners across the state to cover important news and to share stories with our audiences.

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