Chugach Census Area Police Records
Police records for the Chugach Census Area are maintained by the Alaska State Troopers and, within city limits, by local departments in Valdez and Cordova. This area stretches across Prince William Sound and into the Copper River basin, covering a large and rugged portion of Southcentral Alaska. If you need an incident report, criminal history, or court record tied to this region, the right office depends on where the incident happened and what type of record you need. State-level tools and the local trooper posts handle the bulk of requests.
Chugach Census Area Overview
Alaska State Troopers in the Chugach Census Area
Two Alaska State Trooper posts directly serve the Chugach Census Area. The Valdez Post handles the northern Prince William Sound corridor, while the Cordova Post covers the eastern Sound and areas near the Copper River Delta. Both posts handle incident reports, records requests, and law enforcement response for communities that lack a local police department.
The Valdez AST Post can be reached at (907) 835-4307. It is located in Valdez, which also has its own city police department for incidents within city limits. The Cordova AST Post number is (907) 424-3184. For communities outside Valdez and Cordova, the trooper posts are the primary law enforcement contact for records and reports. Detachment B oversees this region, and the Detachment B Commander can be reached at (907) 746-9135.
If you need to find the right trooper post for your area, the AST contacts page lists every post in the state with addresses and phone numbers. Check there first if you are unsure which post covers a specific community.
Note: For incidents within Valdez city limits, contact the Valdez Police Department first, as they may hold the primary incident record rather than AST.
Valdez Police Department Records
Valdez has its own city police department that handles law enforcement within city boundaries. The Valdez Police Department is the first stop for any incident that occurred inside Valdez city limits. Incident reports, arrest records, and other documentation for city incidents are held by the department rather than the state troopers.
The Valdez Police Department page on the city website has current contact details and information on how to request records. You can call (907) 835-5555 for non-emergency matters. Most records requests are handled by submitting a written request, and staff can walk you through the process when you call or visit in person.
The Valdez Police Department website has information on local services and how records requests are processed locally.
Requests submitted to the Valdez Police Department are handled separately from any state trooper records tied to the same incident. If multiple agencies responded, you may need to submit requests to each one.
Cordova Police Records and Resources
Cordova sits on the eastern edge of Prince William Sound. The town is accessible only by air or ferry, which shapes how records requests work in practice. The Alaska State Troopers post in Cordova is the main law enforcement agency for the city and surrounding area. Reach the Cordova AST Post at (907) 424-3184 for incident reports or records questions.
The Cordova city website provides local government contact information and community resources for residents navigating official record requests.
The city site can point you to the right department for local records that are not held by the state troopers.
For Cordova residents, most police records come through the AST post. Written requests can be submitted by mail to the post. Response time under the Alaska Public Records Act is 10 working days, though complex requests can take longer if the agency needs to notify third parties or review exempt material.
Note: Cordova does not have its own city police department, so all incident reports for the city are held by the Alaska State Troopers Cordova Post.
Requesting Records Under the Alaska Public Records Act
The Alaska Public Records Act (AS 40.25.100-295) gives any member of the public the right to inspect and copy public records. You do not need to explain why you want the records, and you do not need to be an Alaska resident. The law covers records held by state agencies and most local government bodies, including trooper posts and city police departments.
To request records, submit a written request to the agency that holds them. Be as specific as you can: include names, dates, incident numbers, and any other details that will help staff find the right documents. Vague requests slow things down. The agency has 10 working days to respond. That response might be the records themselves, a notice that more time is needed, or a denial with an explanation.
Some records are exempt from disclosure. Active criminal investigations, personal information that could harm someone's privacy or safety, and certain law enforcement records tied to ongoing cases are protected under AS 40.25.120. If your request is denied in whole or in part, you can appeal to the agency head within 60 working days of the denial. Keep a copy of your original request and the denial notice in case you need to appeal.
There is no set fee for APRA requests, but agencies can charge reasonable costs for copying, staff time, and other expenses. Ask about fees upfront, especially for large requests.
Criminal History Records for Chugach Census Area
Alaska criminal history records are maintained at the state level by the Department of Public Safety. The online self-service portal lets individuals request their own criminal history by name search ($20) or fingerprint search ($35). Results come back by email. You can also walk in at DPS offices statewide, including the Valdez location, to submit a request in person.
The legal authority for criminal history access is AS 12.62.110-120. These statutes set out who can get records and what information can be shared. For questions about a specific request, contact DPS Criminal Records at (907) 269-5767 or email dps.criminalrecords@alaska.gov.
Name-based searches match records based on identifying information. Fingerprint searches are more precise and less likely to return false matches. For anything involving legal proceedings or official background checks, the fingerprint option is worth the extra cost.
Note: Criminal history from the DPS portal reflects statewide records, not just incidents in the Chugach Census Area.
Court Records and CourtView
The Alaska Court System's free public tool, CourtView, lets you search civil and criminal case records across the state. Cases from the Valdez area appear in this system. You can search by name or case number without creating an account or paying a fee.
For physical copies of court documents, contact the trial court clerk for the Valdez area. The trial courts page has location and contact information for each courthouse. Fees for copies are $5 for the first page, $3 for each additional page, $10 plus $3 per page for certified copies, and $30 per hour for research time.
Under AS 22.35.030, acquitted or dismissed cases are removed from public CourtView records after 60 days. So if you search and come up empty, that does not always mean no case was filed. It may mean the case ended favorably for the defendant and the record has been taken down.
Sex Offender Registry and Daily Dispatch
The Alaska Sex Offender Registry is free to search and covers registered offenders statewide, including those with addresses in the Chugach Census Area. The registry contains over 3,640 entries and is updated regularly. Legal authority comes from AS 12.63.100. You can search by name, location, or zip code.
For day-to-day law enforcement activity, the Alaska State Troopers Daily Dispatch publishes reports of trooper activity by date and incident type. This tool is useful for checking recent activity in specific areas, including the Cordova and Valdez zones. Reports are publicly accessible and do not require an account.
Missing Persons and DOC Records
Reports about missing persons in the Chugach Census Area go through the Alaska State Troopers. The statewide missing persons line is (907) 269-5497 or toll-free at 1-800-478-9333. You can also email dps.missing.persons@alaska.gov. The program operates under AS 18.65.620.
For records held by the Alaska Department of Corrections, contact the DOC Records office at (907) 465-3485. Mailing address is P.O. Box 112000, Juneau AK 99811. The DOC records page has more detail on what records are available and how to request them. DOC records cover inmates housed in Alaska facilities, including anyone from the Chugach Census Area who is or was in state custody.
Cities in Chugach Census Area
Valdez is the largest community in the Chugach Census Area and has its own city police department. Cordova is the other major town in the area, served by the Alaska State Troopers. Other communities include Tatitlek and Chenega Bay, which are small villages without separate city pages.
Smaller communities in the census area, such as Tatitlek, Chenega Bay, and Whittier, do not have individual city pages but are served by the Alaska State Troopers posts in Valdez and Cordova.
Nearby Boroughs
The Chugach Census Area borders several other Alaska jurisdictions. For records involving neighboring areas, visit those pages.