NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL'S ALASKA STATE TROOPERS RETURNS FOR A NEW SEASON OF RESCUES, TAKEDOWNS, ARRESTS AND ALL-OUT HEROISM

Season Five of Alaska State Troopers - Dedicated to Two Troopers Killed in Action - Returns Sunday, September 15, at 10 PM ET/PT

"Every day our people are put in harm's way and face it head on without a second thought that today they may not come home. They are brave and service-minded individuals, and Alaska is much safer because of them." - Department of Public Safety, Alaska State Troopers

(WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 14, 2013) The Alaska State Troopers' call of duty may not always be headline news. But this past spring, the death of the most storied rescue pilot in Alaska's history and his colleague during a helicopter search and rescue mission rocked the force. It's a chilling reminder of the real danger the troopers face to protect life and preserve the peace in one of the most extreme states in the nation.

The fifth season of National Geographic Channel's Alaska State Troopers is dedicated to the memory of Trooper Tage Toll and Trooper Pilot Mel Nading - who plucked victims of a floatplane crash off an iceberg on the Kenai Peninsula, helped haul a snowmobile rider out of a crevasse in the Chugach Mountains, rescued injured mountain climbers and retrieved lost hikers, and who were profiled in the series on similar Helo-1 missions.

With more stories of heroism, determination under fire and ever-present risks patrolling hundreds of miles of rugged terrain in bone-chilling temperatures, the new season of National Geographic Channel's popular Alaska State Troopers kicks off Sunday, September 15, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. For more information, visit natgeotv.com/alaska or follow us on twitter @NGC_PR.

With insider access to the force, each episode presents a "day-in-the-life" look at the many challenges of the job, capturing a mixture of raw nature and criminal activity throughout Alaska's frigid wilderness, cities and remote villages. Responding by land, air and sea - with backup sometimes days away - they face danger to protect the people and wildlife of Alaska.

Embed with officers as they respond to high-intensity situations, often facing violent realities and deadly criminals in extreme elements. Whether it's rescuing a trooper stuck in flight with malfunctioning landing gear, setting up a bear decoy to catch illegal hunters or airlifting a hiker that slid down a mountainside, being prepared for anything is just part of the job.

Here's what's to come this season:

Premiere Episodes:

Alaska State Troopers: Trail of Blood Sunday, September 15, at 10 PM ET/PT In the season five kick-off, we'll watch Troopers pursue suspects as spring beckons and the world's foremost sled race, the Iditarod, heats up. Patrolling the wilderness of the last frontier keeps the Troopers on their toes as people gather in March in Nome for one of the toughest races on Earth. Suspicious behavior at a gas station leads Troopers into a showdown with a suspect who locks himself in a bathroom in what looks like a last-ditch attempt to destroy his drugs. Meanwhile, a trail of blood leads to a domestic disturbance call while a frantic woman runs down the highway to escape her alleged abuser.

Alaska State Troopers: Loaded for Bear Sunday, September 22, at 10 PM ET/PT Troopers must employ their best means of defense when culprits come out onto the Alaskan streets armed with knives, guns and even rocks. In the Mat-Su Valley, a man recently escaped from a mental health facility wanders the streets with rocks in his pockets and takes aim at law enforcement. An injured hiker's life is in the hands of Troopers as they organize a rescue operation in the mountains. And on the choppy waters of Alaska's Inside Passage, Troopers approach hunters who may be taking more than their share of Alaska's precious resources.

Alaska State Troopers: Bear Aware Sunday, September 29, at 10 PM ET/PT Spring in Alaska begins to bloom, bringing both tourists and bears onto the roadsides of Juneau. While photo opportunities with cute cubs are abundant, Troopers must monitor the action to prevent potential run-ins with protective mama bears. In Seward, Trooper Joe Miller races through the woods to catch a man reported to be chasing campers with a knife. In the Mat-Su Valley, a wanted criminal leads Troopers Lopez and Taylor to a suspicious shed. And in Fairbanks, one man plows his truck off the road and another is found passed out on the curb.

Alaska State Troopers: Lock'N'Load Neighbors Sunday, October 6, at 10 PM ET/PT In this episode, the roads are teeming with trouble and the Troopers must dodge wintry conditions to catch their targets/suspects. In Butte, an intoxicated man harasses Troopers and leads them to a surprising discovery: a 9 mm pistol on the couch. An altercation involving alcohol at a Fairbanks hotel leads to arrests. And a dispute between neighbors involving guns on the outskirts of town draws Troopers into the cross fire. Finally, when brown bears take over a remote village dump, Sgt. Dobson must fly in to mediate.

Alaska State Troopers is produced by PSG Films for the National Geographic Channel. For PSG Films, series producer is Brian Jones. For the National Geographic Channel, Executive Producer is Michael Welsh; Vice President of Production and Development is Kevin Mohs, Senior Vice President of Production and Development is Noel Siegel and Executive Vice President of Programming and Strategy is Heather Moran.

For more information on the Department of Public Safety Alaska State Troopers, go to: http://www.dps.state.ak.us/ast/.

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