Wrangell officer retires after 20 years

A patrol officer will be hanging up his hat and badge this week, after two decades of public service.

Officer Terrell Courson officially finished with Wrangell Police Department yesterday.

"I wanted to be a cop when I was a kid," he explained. His father had been a firefighter, but had dissuaded his son from pursuing a career in either that field or police work. "Eventually I went into the military."

Courson served in the Navy for six years, primarily working as an aircraft technician aboard the U.S.S. America. His first policing experience came during the latter half of his tour. The aircraft carrier was in dry dock undergoing repairs, and Courson was temporarily placed on duty with the master at arms, providing installation and vessel security.

"The master at arms loved me," he recalled, being encouraged to go into it full time. "I spent a whole year as a Navy cop, then I got out."

This was in 1989, and afterward he did odd jobs for two years around Florida.

"Then I started working for my home department," said Courson. He joined the Winter Haven Police Department, serving as a patrol officer for a little over five years.

While there Courson met his future wife, Juanita, while she worked police dispatch. After marrying, the two eventually headed to a new setting in Alaska. He explained what had drawn him most was the state's pension system at the time, with retirement options after 20 years.

Courson began his first shift in Wrangell March 10, 1997. The police chief at the time, James Hasenohrl, met him at the airport. Courson recalled being told: "You've got your gun. Strap on, you're working."

Acclimating to the state's laws and justice structure took time, but Courson said he appreciated some of the differences from his last post.

"You serve the public here more than you do down south, in a lot of ways," he commented. "You're a peace officer here. Down south you're a police officer."

Working in a larger department in Florida had been quite different from his work environment later in Wrangell, Courson explained. Tasks and duties were more specialized there, for one. "You have a homicide, you call a detective out to investigate, because you have to stay on patrol."

In contrast, rural officers in Alaska have to be more broadly cross-trained, having to serve whatever function is necessary at the moment.

"You are your own resource here," he said. As such, on patrol Wrangell officers have to be prepared to respond to a variety of emergencies, sometimes with limited support. To make up for this, officers get training in a number of different specializations.

"They realize the need," he said of WPD. I've been sent to training. Either you go out or they bring the trainers here," he said.

Courson had put in for retirement due to ongoing health concerns, after several years ago learning he had suffered a heart attack. As his family has a history of heart disease, the revelation was something which weighed on his decision.

"My grandfather worked for the Post Office, and he died six months after he retired. My father was a fireman, and he died two years after he retired. Both from heart attacks," he said. "So imagine I'm having chest pains, I thought it was heartburn."

Reaching his 20 years, he put in for his retirement for the end of this month, but recently learned that his heart had since improved.

"They did tell me it would heal up, which it did," he said. Courson considered reversing course, but the ball was already in motion.

The loss of Courson will put additional strain on WPD. Since last year, it has lost three of its officers, and has been having to cover shifts with on-call or overtime. With Courson's retirement, Wrangell's police force is down to four officers, including the chief.

Speaking last week, Chief Doug McCloskey explained that after a recruitment drive two additional officers are expected to arrive later this summer, but the department will still be an officer short of its ideal. With seven on staff, it can cover Wrangell 24/7 without having to schedule on-call or overtime hours.