The Northern (N) Detachment covers most of Southcentral, Central, Western , and Northern Alaska. This vast area includes all of the Kenai Peninsula and surrounding waters, Prince William Sound and North Gulf Coast areas and then inland north to the Arctic Ocean and west to the Bering Sea including all of the YK Delta and all points inland. Northern Detachment includes the Chugach, Talkeetna, Wrangell, Alaska, and Brooks Ranges; as well as major river systems including the Yukon, Kuskokwim, Kobuk, Noatak, Tanana, Copper, and Susitna River systems.
This region has the largest landmass within the Division. The Detachment headquarters is located in Palmer and under the command of a Captain, with Lieutenants in Fairbanks, Wasilla, and Soldotna. Additionally there are Sergeants in Soldotna, Palmer, Wasilla, Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Bethel to assist with the overall supervision of this detachment.
Posts within the detachment are located in Anchor Point, Soldotna, Seward, Cordova, Valdez, Anchorage, Glennallen, Palmer, Mat-Su West (Wasilla), Fairbanks, Coldfoot, Cantwell, Bethel, Aniak, St. Mary’s, Galena, McGrath, Nome, Delta, Tok, and Kotzebue Post.
Currently the detachment has 60 commissioned Wildlife Troopers, four Administrative Assistant positions, and six full time Public Safety Technicians. There are also six seasonal Public Safety Technicians.
Big game hunting, guiding, sport and subsistence hunting and fishing are the main resource uses in this interior region. Commercial and subsistence fishing for salmon occurs from the mouths of the Yukon and Kuskokwim upriver into the interior. These fisheries are a significant source of food and income to the rural residents within the region.
This region boasts of having the first commercial salmon fishery of the season on the Copper River Flats near Cordova. Also having one of the most popular sport fish rivers in the nation, the Kenai River, offers world class King Salmon fishing attracting anglers from around the globe. Active commercial fisheries also occur in the North Gulf Coast, Prince William Sound, and Upper Cook Inlet.
A large portion of this region is patrolled with aircraft. The detachment also has a compliment of riverboats, ATV’s and patrol vehicles. Almost all the posts in this region have at least one department pilot assigned to operate either a PA-18 Super Cub or other fixed wing aircraft. Additional air resources include R-44 rotorcraft stationed in Wasilla, Fairbanks, and Bethel. Numerous remote cabins are also maintained by N detachment for off highway patrol functions that require fixed shelter options when necessary. The coastal posts have medium class patrol vessels assigned to patrol the commercial and sport fisheries and hunting activities.
- P/V Arduser 36 foot - Whittier
- P/V Augustine 34 foot - Homer
- P/V Paladin 29 foot - Valdez
- P/V Bering 29 foot – Seward
- P/V Sound Justice 29 foot – Cordova