The “Last Frontier” meets the last straw. A&E’s Alaska PD returns with “Arctic Outbreak,” an episode that trades the usual Alaskan wilderness challenges for the all-too-familiar trials of a global pandemic. Forget blizzards and bears; this time, it’s COVID-19 that’s turning up the heat in the 49th state.
While most of us were hoarding toilet paper and sourdough starters, the police officers of Alaska faced a unique set of pandemic problems. In Fairbanks, rookie officer Nick Flechsing gets a harsh introduction to life on the force, juggling the usual learning curve with the added pressure of enforcing new regulations and dealing with a populace on edge. Meanwhile, down in Sitka, Sergeant Lance Ewers grapples with the pandemic’s ripple effects on his island community, where isolation and limited resources amplify the already-present challenges.
Alaska PD has always thrived on the inherent drama of policing such a vast and unpredictable territory. The show typically highlights the difficulties faced by law enforcement in Alaska, including chronic staff shortages and a stubbornly high crime rate. “Arctic Outbreak,” however, offers a look at how a global crisis further complicates an already difficult job.
Tune in to Alaska PD on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 9 PM on A&E to see how the officers of Alaska handle the added pressure of a pandemic.
