Volume 30 N o 1 March 2015 UPCOMING EVENTS! PICK CLICK GIVE! If you have not yet applied for your PFD remember us. We are listed this year as The Alaska State Troopers Law Enforcement Museum. We are a 501c3, tax deductible, and rely on your support. It is as easy as 1-2-3! PLEASE Pick Click Give! EVENTS TO MARK ON YOUR 2015 CALENDAR! April 18th O T Luncheon April 20th APOA Open house At FOAST APRIL 22 DEADLINE to RETURN YOUR BALLOTS TO FOAST via mail, Fax, or email. April 28th FOAST Annual Mtg. April 30th FOAST open house for Hostage Negotiation Conference MAY 12TH TO 14TH ALL ALASKA LAW ENFORCEMENT REUNION IN LAS VEGAS! Send FOAST any changes in your contact information so we can keep you informed! Check out our website! www.alaskatroopermuseum.com
PRESIDENT S COMMENTS BY CAPTAIN HANS BRINKE The Fraternal Order of Alaska State Troopers is offering for sale a limited edition 75th Anniversary Badge. The Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety has authorized the wearing of this badge on the duty uniform through December 31, 2016 in recognition of the 75th anniversary. For the purchase price of $100 plus any shipping cost from FOAST, they are available under the following conditions; Must be a current FOAST member with either a life membership or dues paid in full for at least two years. (Paying for two years of membership at once will meet this requirement if the member was not current the previous year). 1. FOAST has adopted the Department of Public Safety s policy on retiree s eligibility. Members must either be currently working in the Department of Public Safety as a trooper or meet this eligibility to be allowed to purchase a badge. 2. In any instances of appeal of eligibility, the FOAST Board of Directors will have the final say and it shall be absolute with no further petition recognized. 3. No more than one badge may be purchased by each member. The following text is from the DPS policy on retiree s eligibility. This chapter outlines how retiring officers will receive or be eligible to receive their badges or weapons. The following is available to officers who retire from the State of Alaska in good standing and remain in good standing with the department and the Alaska Police Standards Council. A. Officers with twenty or more years of State service. Officers retiring with twenty or more years of law enforcement service with the State of Alaska will be presented with the full badge set and the retired identification card. B. Officers with between seventeen and twenty years of State service. Officers retiring with between seventeen and twenty years of law enforcement service with the State of Alaska will be presented with the flat badge and retired identification card. Good Standing The status of separation from State service that does not include involuntary separation, dismissal, separation pending disciplinary action, or subsequent actions that preclude the employee from Alaska Police Standards Council certification. Each badge will be customized to include the Troopers rank and badge number. FOAST will also be offering coins, pins and other monmentoes in recognition of the anniversary. These items will be available to all on a first come first serve basis. To apply to purchase one of these special badges please send an email to: ast75thanniversary@gmail.com. Include your name, rank, badge number, qualification (years of service retired or current trooper), and contact information. There is a limit of 1 badge per person. After your purchase request is reviewed and approved you will be notified and payment will be requested. FOAST will accept payments by Credit Card, Check or cash. Please ensure you meet the requirement for FOAST membership, prior to placing a badge order. 2
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS COMMENTS BY LAURA CAPERTON So many positive things have happened so many reasons to say thank you. To begin, let me express my gratitude to all of our membership who have so generously responded to our Annual Membership Fund Drive in 2014. You opened your hearts and wallets far more than expected to the tune over $7000 dollars! You have helped keep the walls strong in our organization. How very wonderful! Likewise over 50 individuals paid their annual dues, or upgraded to multiyear or life memberships, resulting in $3600 income to FOAST. The Annual Fund Drive and new year s Dues Invoice will continue as an annual effort in the future as one well worth the effort and mailing costs. Well done everyone, and thank you for your continued commitment to the Fraternal Order of Alaska State Troopers. This past winter has seen its ups and downs in terms of visitors and sales. The Fur Rondy and Iditarod events brought fewer people than usual because of the weather, and the restart occurring in Fairbanks. There were some visitors who had planned ahead and traveled from outside who were actually quite angry because of the lack of snow and made sure we knew it. After fielding their questions and attitude carefully I was left with the thought that they should never move here. Alaskans must be resilient to the fickle changes of nature. Another visitor easily balanced off memories of any such negativity. His name is APD Officer Fifer. He and his cohort came in with big smiles and said Hello. We are APD s finest and introduced themselves. We had a congenial conversation, I showed them around the museum and we engaged in banter about the upcoming National Hostage Negotiation Conference. He made a request for some items for prizes during their conference and said that their attendees should all see this museum. I offered to have a Museum open house if he could fit it on their schedule. We set it up and he asked if he could do anything for us. I told him about the loss of the APD Chief badge from Retired APD Chief Walt Monegan s uniform, that it was stolen when a large group of students came here (before we had any cameras) and that the investigation did not turn up anything. It was then that Officer Fifer truly became one of APD s finest to me. He said he would make it a priority. Five days later I received the photo of retired APD Chief Walt Monegan after he received the replacement and gifted it to Officer Fifer to be re-gifted back to our Museum. Now the uniform stands complete. Thanks go out to both of these gentlemen and gratitude for their service, past and present. Sincere congratulations go out to now Colonel Steve Bear, director of Alaska Wildlife Troopers. Steve has been a long time member of the Fraternal Order, reliable volunteer, served as a member of our board, and is proactive in accessing sources for our Safety Bear reflectors, coins and so on. Long deserved, we know Colonel Bear will continue to be a real asset to all he serves. I know him as a man who is consistent in character, true in action, conscientious and capable in his job, devoted to his family, and a genuine friend. Thank you for all you do Steve. There is a very involved 75th Anniversary Committee busy making plans to commemorate the momentous milestone. Without repeating any of Toms full report I feel it is vital to thank everyone for their involvement in that effort. It has been said that however much or little one does in their day, it still takes up all their time. Everyone involved in the committee is already busy and yet they take on more. Their ideas have been creative, feedback and timelines met, and we are all excited to enjoy the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Alaska State Troopers in 2016. Be certain to read the information by President Hans Brinke regarding the purchase guidelines of the commemorative badge. Again the direct ordering email address is ast75thanniversary@gmail.com. SPRING IS COMING EVERYONE! 3
AST 75TH ANNIVERSARY By Colonel Tom Anderson retired In 2014 the Commissioner of Public Safety Gary Folger and the FOAST Board established a 75th Anniversary Committee to begin the process of planning our 75th anniversary in 2016. The Committee members are Deputy Commissioner Terry Vrabec, Major Steve Bear, Captain Hans Brinke, Tim Despain all who are active members of the Department of Public Safety and retired Sgt Dallas Massie, Laura Caperton FOAST Executive Director and myself as committee chairman. The committee has been engaged and everyone has contributed to the significant progress to date. In addition to the planned summer activities on July 22, 23 and 24, 2016 Public Safety is planning an April Awards Banquet, 75th activities through out the state and the possibility of the annual RCMP/AST Shoot to commemorate the anniversary. The following is a progress report. LOGO: An eye catching 75th logo was developed and will be displayed on FOAST Letterhead and other novelty items sold and distributed during the celebration. ART PRINT: Charlen Jeffery a well know Alaska Artist was commissioned to paint a rural scene with a uniformed trooper as a center piece surrounded by native children. The children are pointing to a cabin and the concept is the trooper is helping or assisting the children. 75th ANNIVERSARY BADGE: The design has been completed. The badge will be available for purchase by retired and active troopers. They can be worn by active troopers during 2016, and will be customized for purchase by qualified individuals. Refer to Captain Hans Brinke s Presidents Comments for the details and purchase policy. There is a deadline by which to acquire one of these badges. YEARBOOK/PICTORIAL: This will be historical review of the Department with heavy emphasis on pictures. More or less a high school yearbook concept. The committee has reviewed several printing concepts and is leaning towards a contract with Amazon, which does not require up front expenditures for production. GOLF TOURNAMENT: The Golf tournament will be on Friday July 22, 2016 SHOOTING COMPETITION: There will be a pistol and shotgun competition on Saturday July 23, 2016. PICNIC AND SIGNATURE EVENT: The Anchorage Zoo will be the location for our main event on Sunday July 24, 2016. The Zoo grounds have been improved to include a greenhouse, large picnic area, and a raised stage with public address system, tent availability in case of inclement weather plus access to the Zoo itself. The following committees are working on selected activities: Yearbook/Pictorial Committee is chaired by Tim Despain and includes Justin Freeman, Megan Peters, Beth Ipsen and Sara Bourne. The Picnic Committee co-chairs are Joe Masters and John Glass with Steve Bear on the committee, Golf Chair is Nils Monsen, and Shooting Committee Chair is Jeff Hall assisted by Jim Vaden and John Elmore, Novelty Coordinator Laura Caperton. The main events that required advanced planning, fund raising and reservations are in progress. We will be having open house at the Museum. There is still a lot of work to be done. Everyone reading this article can help. We need sponsors, prizes for the competitions, suggestions for spouse activities, tour and housing idea s, out reach to former Public Safety personal who are out of the loop of Facebook, and FOAST membership. Please feel free to pass on any ideas to FOAST at foast@gci.net or any member of the 75th Anniversary Committee. 4
TROOPER DENNIS FINBAR CRONIN By Bill Bellingar He was an Alaska State Trooper, a family man with two small daughters and a baby boy on the way. He had a fierce dedication and devotion to duty, so it was true to form for him to volunteer to come in on a day off to pick up a state s witness for a drug trial. The witness, a small-time drug dealer from Kodiak named Barnard, upon arrest had agreed to testify against his boss in hopes of receiving consideration upon his expected penalty after his own upcoming trial. Trooper Dennis Cronin had established some relationship with the dealer through informants and his undercover work. On this date he had offered to pick up the witness and provide him protection until the trial the next day. After meeting the flight from Kodiak at Anchorage International Airport that afternoon, Barnard apparently asked the trooper if he could take him by his girlfriend s home with a stop at a pawnshop to buy her a birthday gift. Why Trooper Cronin allowed the man to go in alone we ll never know. Upon arriving at the believed girlfriends home in the affluent Hillside area above the city, the trooper apparently decided to wait in the car while Barnard went in. But evidence showed that the dealer got out of the vehicle, walked around to the driver s side as if to say something to Cronin. The trooper must have rolled down his window as the dealer drew a small caliber handgun and fired one shot into Trooper Cronin s temple. Then rushing into the house screaming that he had just killed a trooper, he couldn t testify and his life was over. Upon that he shot the young lady and turned the gun upon himself. Neighbors heard the gunfire and called Trooper Dispatch and upon arrival the young women was able to relate what had happened before she died. It seems she had recently broken up with the murderer because of his drug related activities. Before we both transferred to Anchorage we were neighbors in the early 1970 s in Kodiak. And although in different divisions of Public Safety we occasionally worked together in areas of mutual concern. One day I asked Trooper Cronin if he was going to take the upcoming promotional examination for sergeant. With a shrug of his shoulder and a sly grin he said I don t think so, that where it s at, he offered, as he gestured towards the street. At the visitation and viewing the evening before the funeral, an honor guard stood tall and somber at the head of the casket. Most were field troopers and few above the rank of sergeant. I believe that s the way he may have wanted it. And if you have the exceptional experience of the visiting the Law Enforcement Memorial in front of the State Crime Laboratory in Anchorage you ll see the numerous names of those brave souls that have made the ultimate sacrifice for the people of Alaska. And in the entrance to the Public Safety Academy on the hill above Sitka, you ll find a remarkable bronze likeness of Trooper Dennis Finbar Cronin of of those who gave it all on February 18, 1974. And I m reminded of a passage in the Holy Bible where Jesus is speaking to his disciples; John chapter. 15:Verse 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends, Editors Note: Bill Bellinger retired from the Department of Public Safety in 1982 after 20 years as a Fish and Wildlife Officer Investigator and pilot. During those years he was stationed in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Delta, Tok and Kodiak: with extensive time in and out of Bethel and Dutch Harbor. Since retirement he s written outdoor columns for several newspapers from coast to coast in the lower 48, and his wife and he present programs on Alaska to schools, civic groups and other organizations, He self-published his book on Alaska A Little Further Up the Creek Several schools in the Anchorage area have accepted it for extra credit for students from 5th grade up. He now resides in the foothills of the Brushy Mountains of North Carolina with his wife Burma and three cats. NOTE: The active duty Alaska State Trooper, Dennis Cronin, seen on the History Channel Alaska State Troopers is not related to Dennis Finbar Cronin. 5 5
ALL ALASKA REUNION LAS VEGAS By Colonel Tom Anderson retired Captain Joe DeTemple, retired, reports that thanks to Jim and Estela Vaden the long running reunion at the Mike Korhonens home in Washington state will now be in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is scheduled for May 12, 13 and 14, 2015. Most of the activity will be at the Clark County Nevada Shooting Complex, a state of the art facility where Jim and Estella work part time. The Aliante hotel is a 5 star hotel/casino about 2 miles from the complex. They re offering a great rate of $69.00 per night. RV s are welcome at $20.00 per night. Registration will be $40.00. The event is open to all law enforcement friends but Joe says timing is critical. Please confirm with Joe at 360-608-0031 or his email CaptASTJoe@aol.com and also make your hotel and RV reservations. 24TH ALL ALASKA LAW ENFORCEMENT REUNION May 12/13/14, 2015 Las Vegas NV AGENDA Tuesday 5/12/15 12-3PM Registration Clark County Shooting Complex 3-5:30PM No host Welcome Reception, beer & wine provided 5:30-7PM BBQ Dinner Shooting Complex Meeting Hall 7PM War Stories & Tall Tales @ Shooting Complex Meeting Hall Wednesday 5/13/15 Morning Golf & Shooting Activities (see below) Afternoon Free to explore Las Vegas 4:30PM Aliante Hotel/Casino Hospitality Suite 6PM Buffet Dinner Aliante Hotel 7:30PM War Stories & Tall Tales @ Shooting Complex Meeting Hall Thursday 5/14/15 9-10AM Breakfast/Door Prize Drawings- Shooting Complex Noon Reunion Good-bye s Clark County Shooting Complex: 11357 N Decator Blvd Las Vegas NV 89131 RV Park Ph#:702-455-2000 Aliante Hotel Casino: 7300 Aliante Parkway North Las Vegas NV 89084 Ph#-888-978-6493 Shooting & Golf Info to follow after we confirm. 6
FOAST ANNUAL ELECTIONS BALLOT - 2015 Dear members of FOAST, You are eligible to vote if you are an Active Annual Member and are current with your dues for 2015, or are a Lifetime, 3 year or five year member who is active or retired. There are 4 ACTIVE board positions to be filled at this election. There are 5 names offered. You may write in other names as well. VOTE FOR 4 NAMES MAXIMUM Captain Anthony April- Currently assigned to the Director s Staff at Troopers Headquarters, has served as A Detachment Commander in Ketchikan, also served with ABI, ABJS, ABADE. Served AST since 1997. Col Steve Bear - now Director of the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, has served on FOAST BOD for numerous years, an active participant in committee assignments and FOAST. Lt Rodney Dial - Longtime Active Life member of FOAST BOD, representing the Ketchikan area. Deputy Fire Marshall Lloyd Nakano Active Lifetime member of FOAST. Works for the Division of Fire and Life Safety since 2005, and is the Division s Deputy Director (Assistant State Fire Marshal). Captain Barry Wilson Active Life member of FOAST. Currently serving as Secretary on our BOD. Long time participant in FOAST. Write in. BALLOTS WILL BE COUNTED AT OUR ANNUAL MEETING APRIL 28TH. PLEASE RETURN YOUR VOTE TO FOAST VIA: FAX: 907-279-5054 EMAIL: foast@gci.net MAIL: FOAST 245 W 5 th Ave Ste 113 Anchorage, AK 99501 7
Nonprofit Org. US Postage PAID Anchorage, AK Permit #453 #537 FRATERNAL ORDER OF ALASKA STATE TROOPERS 245 W 5 th AVE STE 113 ANCHORAGE, AK 99501 foast@gci.net Members of FOAST. This will be your last BANNER if you are an annual member and have not PAID your DUES. This is excluding those who have updated their status or have increased their membership to multiple years or Life. Our records indicate 157 annual members with current addresses are expired. Contact FOAST to check on your status to become current before our April 28th Annual Meeting. BOARD LT Bryan Barlow LT Rodney Dial LT Lantz Dahlke Capt. Steve Arlow Invest Michele Logan Capt Ron Rice OFFICERS President Capt Hans Brinke Vice President Col Tom Anderson Treasurer Major Doug Norris Secretary Capt Barry Wilson REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS Charles A. Smith Capt. Andrew Greenstreet STAFF Executive Director, Laura Caperton Contacting FOAST Phone: (907) 279-5050 or (800) 770-5050 in Alaska Fax: (907) 279-5054 Email: foast@gci.net www.alaskatroopermuseum.com The Banner Editor: Col. Tom Anderson, Retired 245 W 5 th Ave., Suite 113 Anchorage, Alaska 99501 Phone (907) 440-9614 or (907) 279-5050 Fax: 279-5054 The Fraternal Order of the Alaska State Troopers Charity Corporation is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (c)(3) corporation, ID92-0091086