The Alaska State Troopers have 33 officer vacancies and small posts may get new officers as they become available.

The Kodiak Daily Mirror reports that Kodiak has been operating short-handed for more than a year, with four troopers instead of the authorized five.

But C Detachment Captain Barry Wilson said if it's a choice between a shortage in a two-person post or a five-person post, he's going to fill the smaller one where one person is doing all the work.

State troopers enforce the law outside the limits of cities with police departments. They typically investigate car accidents, domestic violence, assaults, burglaries, thefts and homicides.