By Jasz Garrett
Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – In the Capital City Chapter of the Alaska Peace Officer Association’s (APOA) final event of the year, the Juneau Police Department, Lemon Creek Correctional Officers, and Alaska State Troopers go head to head with Capital City Fire Rescue on the ice. Each team invites the immediate family of officers and firefighters to play. Each team has 14 players. The fifth annual Guns N’ Hoses hockey tournament was Saturday night at Treadwell Arena, following a free family skate.
The Guns N’ Hoses have a long history, whether it be working together out in the field to protect Juneau’s community or competing in the hockey game. For the 2023 tournament, the Guns N’ Hoses were tied 2-2 based on series history. Saturday night saw the Guns take a swift win, 6-1, breaking the tie.
Captain of the Guns, Jake Thayer, works as both a JPD and CCFR Public Safety dispatcher. He said while he wears both hats out in the field, on the ice, he plays for JPD. He’s been participating in Juneau’s event for the past three years, and before that, he played Guns N’ Hoses up in Fairbanks.
Thayer said while of course, it’s nice to win, the game is really about raising money for APOA.
“This game overall is fun. It’s for a good cause, you know, yeah, we get competitive on the ice. Wires get crossed sometimes but other than that, we’re all here to have fun,” he said. “We’re all here for the same reason.”
Donations are taken at the door, and donations can also be made to participate in a 50/50 raffle. After the game, the winner of the 50/50 raffle donated the money right back to APOA. Spicy hot chili and warm drinks were also available to enjoy by donation.
The funds raised are used for community service events and multiple scholarships for graduating high school seniors interested in law enforcement-related fields.
Thayer said that ahead of the game, he coached his team with a pre-game plan which worked just as they had planned. He added that having young family members on their team gave them an advantage.
“I know a lot of us, we’re all short-staffed at work, we’re all exhausted. So, having those younger guys definitely helped out,” he said.
Captain of the Hoses, and CCFR captain, Jayme Johns, anticipates the Hoses to take back their win next year if they can recruit younger family members to play. He shared that on the Hoses team this year, he had 4 of his family members playing together.
“We had never had that happen before,” Johns said. “It was good times.”
Johns added that the event serves as a fun community event for the public to interact with first responders in a different light.
“I think it’s good because we get to come out and then see the little friendly competition. It gets a little competitive, but it’s fun competition against the PD officers and the firefighters,” he said. “They get to come out and see us in a different view from us being out there fighting fires and being in the police work.”
JPD Sergeant Shawn Phelps echoed that sentiment.
“We go to so many serious things together all the time and we’ve got each other’s backs on many of those serious events and for us to be able to come here and have a good competition together in a fun atmosphere makes a big difference,” he said.
He had fun watching his son Isaac, #6, score the first goal.
“It’s a game that we play only once a year, so, that taste of victory lasts all year or the bitter taste of defeat lasts all year too,” Phelps added. “So, it is nice to get the win with a lot of our friends and families watching. It’s super fun.”
Thayer said if young hockey players are interested in joining the Guns or the Hoses for next year’s game, they can become involved with JPD or CCFR. They are always in need of more hockey players, and for the Guns team especially, in need of goalies.
APOA’s next event will be in May for the annual Special Olympics Torch Run.
