VPSO Ronald Zimin was killed in the line of duty 38 years ago
Village Public Safety Officer is a dangerous but important job
Published: Oct. 25, 2024 at 4:41 PM AKDT
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The job of Village Public Safety Officer was created in 1979. Designed to help cover the areas of Alaska that didn’t have public safety coverage, VPSOs are responsible for law enforcement, fire, search and rescue and emergency medical services, often alone with backup hours or even days away.
In the past 45 years, two VPSOs have been killed in the line of duty. Officer Thomas Madole was killed in March 2013 and Officer Ronald Zimin was killed in October 1986.
In the lobby of the State Crime Lab in Anchorage, there is a memorial to Officer Zimin. It includes a bronze statue, a reminder of how dangerous the VPSO job can be.
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