February 18th Is Anniversary Of The Death Of Trooper Dennis Cronin, Husband Of Patsy Johns Of Copper Center

 

Dennis Cronin's Badge Of Honor At The Anchorage Trooper Offices – The First Of Many Mounted On The Wall, Including One For Bruce Heck of the Copper River Valley. 

End Of Watch.  February 18th, 1974 

DENNIS FINBAR CRONIN

First Trooper Ever Killed In The Line Of Duty In Alaska

Born in County Cork, Ireland

Husband Of Patsy Johns Of Copper Center

February 18th marks the anniversary of the death of the first Alaska State Trooper killed while on duty. Dennis Cronin, married to Patsy Johns of Copper Center, was a Trooper when Alaska was only 15 years old. 

Born in County Cork, Ireland, and raised in Massachusetts, Dennis Cronin came to Alaska with the Air Force out of high school. He became a U.S. citizen in 1965. 

The young immigrant had an aptitude for law enforcement, and was named "Most Outstanding Trooper" in Alaska. He married Patsy Johns in 1973. Patsy was the daughter of Ruth and Harry Johns, esteemed Native leaders from Copper Center. 

During the Pipeline years, Dennis worked undercover, and pretended to be living on the streets of Anchorage. It was a difficult and harrowing job. The Pipeline brought with it money, prostitution, corruption, drugs and crime. 

On February 18th, 1974, Dennis Cronin was shot to death by an informant in his squad car. He was 32 years old.