Anne Sears retired in October 2021 after 20 years as an Alaska State Trooper. She was the first Alaska Native woman to serve as a trooper and at the time of her retirement was still the only Alaska Native female in the force. She says it was a privilege to serve the people of Alaska and couldn’t have done it without the support of her family, her coworkers, and members of the communities where she served.
“I think it is important to have more diversity, especially when we were in the villages, where the residents are Alaska Natives themselves. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes when I went into the village the only thing they saw was the uniform. But a lot of the times when I was in a village, they saw me. They asked who I was and where I was from, and it always started a conversation. I think for the younger generations, the kids, it’s important for them to see somebody who looks like them doing this kind of work. It’s important work. We’re not always the most favorite people to arrive but it’s still important work; in the village they know that. They know that it’s needed, and they appreciated our efforts. And, in general, always more women. We definitely bring something different to the job. It’s important to have more women, I think, in law enforcement.”
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