Dennis Finbar Cronin
Agency patch
Trooper

Dennis Finbar Cronin

Alaska State Troopers — Anchorage, AK
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch February 18, 1974
Age 31
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
The Vigil Panel 113 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Trooper Dennis Cronin was shot and killed in Anchorage, Alaska, by an informant while assigned to a Drug Enforcement Task Force. He was meeting with the informant in his squad car when the shooting took place. The suspect then committed suicide with his motives never known. Trooper Cronin was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the Alaska State Troopers for almost four years. He was survived by his expectant wife, two daughters, and a step-son, who he was in the process of adopting. His wife gave birth to a son a few months after his death. Trooper Cronin is the first Alaska State Trooper to die in the line of duty.

Survivors

He was survived by his expectant wife, two daughters, and a step-son, who he was in the process of adopting.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AK-7460A4A2
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Trooper Cronin gave the Alaska State Troopers 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Alaska, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Other
Location Anchorage, AK
Platform Identity alasgov.anchorage.ak.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 18, 1974
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 31
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

Dennis Finbar Cronin served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper Dennis Finbar Cronin is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In AK, 35 of 50 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70% of this state's fallen. That is 70 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Alaska State Troopers, 7 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.3% of this agency's fallen.

Alaska State Troopers
7
of 12 officers
58.3% Felonious
AK — Statewide
35
of 50 officers
70% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Dennis Finbar Cronin's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Dennis Finbar Cronin Compares

Age at Death
31
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
4
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Dennis Finbar Cronin is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Dennis Finbar Cronin was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Military Service

Dennis Finbar Cronin served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.

Visit Dennis Finbar Cronin’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.