Trooper captain believes in making a difference

The boss of the Alaska State Troopers in Palmer says nearly 22 years on the job have taught him a few things about human nature.

Capt. Simon Brown believes people are basically good. "I always say except for the grace of God I could be the one sitting over there," he said, pointing out his office window at the jail.

What makes the difference is how one is taught to view making mistakes, because everyone does make mistakes, he said.

"If you have people around you growing up that teach you it's OK to make mistakes, then you'll be able to pick yourself back up after a fall. If you don't, if you're taught you are worthless, then you start to believe it," he said.

Brown became head of the troopers' B Detachment in May, directing the efforts of 46 officers and civilian employees. He began with the troopers in 1980, after a stint in the Air Force and working as an electrician for the Federal Aviation Administration, which brought him to Alaska. Brown is a member of the National Guard, which means he spends one weekend each month attending drills. In case of a national emergency, Palmer's trooper captain could be called to war.

Alaska wasn't a place discussed much when Brown was growing up in South Carolina. But somehow he just knew he wanted to come here -- far from the south where growing up was "rough" in the '60s and '70s.

Brown, a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va., started out at Palmer's post, then served all over the state before being brought back to Palmer, promoted to the rank of captain. "I came full circle back to where I began," he said.

Certain personality traits and beliefs draw individuals to a life in law enforcement, he said. One trait is believing you can make a difference in people's lives.

"I saw the need and thought I could make a difference. People really want someone to help them out when they have a problem, and I figured I could help them out," he said.

A trooper has to "believe in humankind so much that you are willing to lay your life on the line," Brown said. That's a concept that maybe wasn't in the public mind much until after the events of Sept. 11 at the World Trade Center in New York.

He takes the message to kids by coaching football for 8- to 14-year-olds, and has done that throughout his tenure as a trooper. "We didn't use to get out so much," he said, referring to law enforcement officers keeping a low public profile when not on the job. "But it's good to get involved with the community. Sports are healthy and physical, and I get to show kids that police are humans. Everyone wants to win but sports teaches them how to live and work with other people who they might not agree with all the time. I've been really happy coaching kids."

Some on his football teams grew up and became Alaska State Troopers.

One of the most pressing problems Brown sees in the Valley relates to the family and kids. Domestic violence is a problem throughout the state, and that's true in the Valley as well, he said.

Minors consuming alcohol and guns in the schools also are troubling problems.

Perhaps the root of family problems and troubled youth comes from America's drive to be successful. "You don't get to have the big house, the big car, the big job and the big title by not working hard," he said. "I'd like to see all of us put ourselves back to 14 years of age and see where we would be right now if we had to be alone so much while our parents worked."

Brown would like to see more unity between emergency service agencies and state and local services to target family problems, he said.

This is being pursued on a smaller scale in joint meetings with the district attorney's office, the troopers and the Division of Family and Youth Services. in cases where a young person faces specific risks.

"I'd like to see this happening on a larger scale. This is our community and we need to set short- and long-term goals," Brown said.