Please describe how your agency is structured

The Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS) serves as the State Administering Agency (SAA) for Alaska and represents one of the most structurally unique public safety agencies in the United States. Alaska is not organized under a county government system, and most areas fall outside the jurisdiction of local law enforcement. As a result, DPS provides primary law enforcement, public safety, and victim services across a jurisdiction that spans one-fifth the size of the contiguous United States.

Through these divisions and programs, DPS blends direct enforcement, proactive community outreach, forensic support, and grant-funded partnerships to deliver consistent, compassionate public-safety services across Alaska’s rural, urban, and remote communities.

Please list the federal and state grants your agency administers.

Federal Grants

Justice System and Law Enforcement Support

• Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)

• Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP)

• Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)

• Emergency Law Enforcement Assistance (EFLEA)

• High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA)

• Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation (SAWG)

• NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP)

• National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP)

Victim Services and Violence Prevention

• U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime

• VOCA Victim Compensation

• Sexual Assault Services Formula Program

• U.S. Department of Justice's STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant

• Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services Grant

Forensics and Crime Labs

• Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (COVE)

• DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction (CEBR and SAFE-ITR)

• National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)

Officer Safety and Mental Health

• Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program (BWC)

• Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA)

Fire and Emergency Preparedness

• Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG)

• State Fire Training Systems Grant (SFTG)

Other Federal or Interagency Initiatives

• HUD Community Project Funding (CPF) State Grants

State Grants

• Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (MHTAAR)

• Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) Grant Program

Please list your top three current priorities or focus areas.

• Drug Interdiction and Investigations - DPS continues to expand its efforts to disrupt the flow of illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl, which has devastated communities across Alaska. Through coordinated investigations with local and federal partners, interdiction efforts at ports of entry, and enhanced forensic capacity at the Crime Lab, DPS is focused on dismantling trafficking networks and reducing the availability of illicit substances.

• Strengthening Rural Public Safety - Many Alaska communities do not have locally funded law enforcement, leaving DPS as the sole provider of emergency response, patrol, and investigative services. The department is prioritizing support for Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs), expanding coverage where gaps exist, and investing in sustainable public safety models to ensure all Alaskans, no matter where they live, have access to reliable protection and justice services.

• Workforce Resiliency and Recruitment - Sustaining public safety in Alaska’s vast and remote regions requires a resilient and well-supported workforce. DPS is focused on filling critical vacancies and strengthening retention through mentorship, wellness programs, focused outreach, and partnerships to improve compensation, housing, and working conditions.

What should other NCJA members know about DPS?

Alaska’s public safety challenges are matched only by the strength and adaptability of its people. The Alaska Department of Public Safety and Alaska State Troopers provide world-class public safety and full-service law enforcement services in one of the most demanding and remote environments in the world. We appreciate the support and partnership of our peers across the country and welcome opportunities to share and learn from each other.