Retired Trooper Lieutenant Lonny Piscoya to lead MMIP

Anchorage, ALASKA— Retired Alaska State Trooper Lieutenant Lonny Piscoya has returned to the Alaska Department of Public Safety to lead the department's Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative. Investigator Piscoya will lead the department's outreach efforts for the MMIP initiative and will assist the Alaska Bureau of Investigation with both active and cold case murder and missing person cases involving Alaska Natives. Investigator Piscoya will take over the role of MMIP Investigator from retired Alaska State Trooper Anne Sears who decided to return to retirement.

Investigator Lonny Piscoya is a lifelong Alaskan who was born in Nome, where he grew up. He joined the ranks of the Alaska State Troopers in 1993; during his career, he patrolled in Fairbanks, Galena, Interior Alaska, Southeast Alaska and Ketchikan. He worked as a post supervisor, AST Tactical Dive Team member, and detachment deputy commander over his 25-year law enforcement career. Piscoya retired from state service in 2018.

“I personally worked with Lonny over his career with the department and know from first-hand experience that he will bring the same tenacity and persistence that he was known for as a Trooper to this critical role," said Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell. "With the framework that retired MMIP Investigator Anne Sears helped put in place, I know we will continue to make meaningful progress on this critical responsibility."

Investigator Piscoya will also serve as the Commissioner of Public Safety's designee on the Governor's Council on Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons.

“I am excited to return to the department to lead this worthy initiative for DPS,” said MMIP Investigator Lonny Piscoya. “I have seen the devastation that high rates of violent crimes have on Alaska’s villages and small communities. I am committed to doing my part to help reverse those trends with my fellow Alaska State Troopers.”

Investigator Piscoya's first day was September 19, 2022. This position was funded through the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhoods.