Alaska Department of Public Safety

The Alaska Department of Public Safety is a law enforcement agency with its usual focus being the protection of life, property and wildlife resources in the state of Alaska in the United States.

The Alaska Department of Public Safety is under the direction of Commissioner James Cockrell.

Alaska DPS personnel enforce laws related to criminal statutes, traffic, wildlife, and fire. The Alaska DPS also performs search and rescue, court services and maintains criminal justice records.

Divisions
DPS has five divisions:
 * Division of Administrative Services
 * Division of Alaska State Troopers
 * Division of Fire and Life Safety
 * Division of Statewide Services
 * Division of Alaska Wildlife Troopers

DPS also administers:
 * the Alaska Police Standards Council
 * the Alaska Fire Standards Council
 * the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
 * the Alaska Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory

Unique feature
Unlike DPS agencies in many other states, due to the vast area of Alaska and limited local enforcement agencies, Alaska's DPS is the primary law enforcement and public safety organization for most of the state. The men and women of DPS provide service in conditions not usually found in many other parts of the country.

Fallen officers
There have been 16 Alaska State Troopers, 1 Court Services Officer, and 2 K9s killed since its beginning in 1948.