Colonel Julia Grimes was born and raised in western Pennsylvania , and came to Alaska in January 1982 after being furloughed from United Airlines, as a Boeing 727 pilot. She found work in Fairbanks and Ketchikan as a flight instructor and air taxi pilot. Colonel Grimes began her career with the Alaska State Troopers in January of 1983. During her twenty-four years with the Troopers, Colonel Grimes has served in a wide range of duty assignments that include Palmer Patrol, the Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit, the Anchorage Metropolitan Drug Unit, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (now known as the Alaska Bureau of Investigation), Rural Enforcement and Judicial Services. Her duty stations have included Palmer, Anchorage , King Salmon, and Dillingham.
Colonel Grimes’ formal education and work experience are in the field of commercial aviation. In 1984, shortly after joining the Troopers, Colonel Grimes became the first female trooper to be certified as a state pilot. During her twelve years in the drug unit, she flew many missions in support of drug enforcement efforts statewide. After transferring to Bristol Bay as a Trooper/Pilot in 1999, she spent the next six years flying in support of the rural enforcement mission, including being one of the few-ever flying DARE Instructors. She was also the first female trooper trained as a K-9 officer, and handled Scent Detection K-9 Veteran for several years. She earned a Meritorious Service Award from Colonel John Murphy for her efforts in running a long-term undercover drug investigation in Bethel .
Colonel Grimes was the first female trooper to be promoted to captain, and in May of 2003 she became the first female trooper to be promoted to colonel and assigned as the director of the Alaska State Troopers.
Colonel Grimes is a graduate of the 212 th Session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy and the 27 th Session of the National Executive Institute in Quantico , Virginia .
Colonel Grimes has been married for 21 years to Jim Grimes, a retired Trooper. They have no children.