Verkkoa vpso new to law enforcement now starts out at more than $25 an hour, just under the $26. 50 for a trooper recruit, according to merrill. Verkkothe village public safety officer program is “significantly underfunded” and its mission is not clear under current alaska statute, according to. Verkkoan improved program can emerge that encourages more than one vpso in a village for officer safety, wellness, and retention. Verkkowhile arming village public safety officers became legal in alaska in 2014, none had carried a firearm on the job since 2015. That changed when the. A new bill wants to reverse those numbers. The village public safety officer (vpso) program trains and employs individuals residing in the village as first responders to public safety emergencies. Verkkoending a state practice that forbids vpsos from investigating felonies solo and traveling among villages. Alaska department of public safety. Verkkopublic safety commissioner amanda price has questioned whether the vpso program is the right tool for providing more law enforcement in alaska.
