Access Petersburg Borough Police Records

Police records for Petersburg Borough are held by the Petersburg Police Department for incidents within the borough and supplemented by the Alaska State Troopers Wrangell Post for regional matters and state law enforcement response. Petersburg is a fishing community in Southeast Alaska, located on Mitkof Island at the northern end of the Wrangell Narrows. The borough operates as a unified municipal government. Most police records requests in this area go through the Petersburg Police Department or through state-level systems that cover all of Alaska.

Petersburg Police Department Records

The Petersburg Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency within the borough. Incident reports, arrest records, and police documentation for events in Petersburg are held by the department. Submit your records request in writing, either by mail or in person at the police department.

The Petersburg Borough official website lists current contact information for all borough departments, including public safety. Use that page to confirm the department's mailing address and phone number before submitting a request. Staff can answer questions about the records request process and let you know what to include in your submission.

The department follows the Alaska Public Records Act. Requests are handled within 10 working days. Certain records are exempt from disclosure, including active investigation files and information protected under AS 40.25.120. If your request is denied, ask which exemption applies. You can appeal to the agency head within 60 working days.

Petersburg Borough Official Website

The borough government manages all municipal services for Petersburg. The official website is the main resource for finding the right department contact for records requests, whether police, court, or general government documents.

The Petersburg Borough official website covers all borough services and provides contact information for each department.

The site also has information on public meetings, borough ordinances, and links to the police department page for records and non-emergency contact.

Alaska State Troopers Wrangell Post

The Alaska State Troopers Wrangell Post covers the Southeast Alaska region that includes Petersburg Borough. The Wrangell Post number is (907) 874-3215. Troopers from this post handle incidents that fall under state jurisdiction or that occur outside the city police department's coverage. If an incident involved AST rather than the city department, the records will be at the Wrangell Post.

AST Detachment A covers all of Southeast Alaska. The AST contacts page has current post listings with addresses and phone numbers. DPS headquarters in Anchorage handles broader state questions at (907) 269-5511. For criminal history requests, the DPS Criminal Records unit can be reached at (907) 269-5767 or by email at dps.criminalrecords@alaska.gov.

Alaska Public Records Act and How It Works

The Alaska Public Records Act (AS 40.25.100-295) applies to all public bodies in Alaska, including borough police departments and state trooper posts. Any person can request records, regardless of residency. You do not need to explain why you want the records. The agency has 10 working days to respond.

A good records request is specific. Give the agency the incident date, approximate location, names of people involved if you know them, and any case number you have. A vague request like "all police records from last year" will slow things down and may result in a fee estimate before work begins. The more detail you provide upfront, the faster the response tends to be.

If records are denied, the agency must tell you which exemption under AS 40.25.120 applies. Common exemptions include active criminal investigations, personal information that could compromise privacy or safety, and law enforcement records tied to ongoing proceedings. You have 60 working days from the denial to appeal to the agency head. Write out your appeal and keep copies of everything.

Fees for records requests are not fixed statewide. Agencies can charge reasonable costs for copying and staff time. Some offices charge only a per-page copying fee. Others may charge for staff time if a request requires significant searching or redaction work. Ask about fees before submitting a large request so you can decide whether to narrow the scope.

Criminal History Records

The Alaska Department of Public Safety holds all statewide criminal history records. Use the self-service portal to request your own record. Name-based searches cost $20. Fingerprint-based searches cost $35 and are more accurate. Results come by email after processing.

Walk-in service for fingerprint submissions is available at DPS offices statewide. For questions about a specific request, call (907) 269-5767 or email dps.criminalrecords@alaska.gov. The legal framework is AS 12.62.110-120, which sets the rules for record maintenance and access by different requester types.

If you need a certified criminal history for legal proceedings, the fingerprint method is the more reliable option. Name-based searches can return false positives if someone else shares your name, or can miss records where identifying information was entered differently at the time of arrest.

Court Records and CourtView

The Alaska Court System's CourtView database provides free public access to case records from courts across the state. Cases from Petersburg Borough appear in this system. Search by name or case number to see charges, hearing dates, and case outcomes.

The Alaska Public Records Act page has the full text of the law and guidance documents that explain how requests work across different types of agencies.

The APRA text and guidance materials are useful references if you need to understand your rights when an agency denies a request or asks for clarification on your submission.

For physical copies of court documents, contact the trial court clerk serving Petersburg. The trial courts page has courthouse contact information. Fees are $5 for the first page, $3 per additional page, $10 plus $3 per page for certified copies, and $30 per hour for research. Under AS 22.35.030, dismissed and acquitted cases are removed from CourtView after 60 days.

Sex Offender Registry and Daily Dispatch

The Alaska Sex Offender Registry is free to search and covers all registered offenders statewide. It includes those with addresses in Petersburg Borough. Search by name, city, or zip code. The registry has over 3,640 entries and is governed by AS 12.63.100. No account is needed to search.

The Alaska State Troopers Daily Dispatch shows trooper activity by date and region across the state, including Southeast Alaska. Reports from the Wrangell Post area, which covers Petersburg, appear in the system. It is a useful reference for recent trooper activity but does not contain full incident reports.

Missing persons for Petersburg Borough should be reported to the Alaska State Troopers at (907) 269-5497 or 1-800-478-9333, or by email at dps.missing.persons@alaska.gov (AS 18.65.620). DOC records are available through the DOC Records office at (907) 465-3485 or P.O. Box 112000, Juneau AK 99811. Details are at the DOC records page.

Communities in Petersburg Borough

Petersburg is the main community in the borough and serves as the seat of borough government. Kupreanof is a small community across the narrows from Petersburg. Neither reaches the population threshold for a dedicated city page. All communities in the borough are served by the Petersburg Police Department and the Alaska State Troopers Wrangell Post.

The borough was formed in 2013 when the Petersburg Census Area merged with the City of Petersburg. Before the merger, the area operated under separate city and census area governments. The consolidated borough structure now handles all local government functions from one office.

Nearby Boroughs

Petersburg Borough is in central Southeast Alaska, bordered by Wrangell to the south and Sitka to the west, with Hoonah-Angoon Census Area to the north.