"He's a highly experienced officer. He's got a lot of experience in investigation," Chief Mark Robl said. "He's a great guy to be around. We're happy to have him back."

Kuhns, 48, was a Homer Police officer from 1998 to June 2002, when he became an investigator. After leaving the police, he did some private investigation as well as security work on the North Slope. He also was a contract investigator for the U.S. Department of Defense, primarily in California. That work involved frequent travel away from his family, Kuhns said.

He and his wife Bridget lost their oldest daughter, Kate, when she died of a brain tumor last May. He said the overwhelming support his family received was a major reason for returning to police work.

"As corny as it may sound, the support we've had in Homer is beyond anything I can describe," Kuhns said. "We feel indebted to the community."

The Kuhns family planted a memorial garden for Kate at their Diamond Ridge home, and over the summer they would come home and frequently find donated plants left on their front doorstep. Kuhns said even people he had arrested have been supportive.

Being a police officer is one way he can repay the community, he said.

Kuhns started in law enforcement with the Alaska State Troopers in 1990. He first worked in Soldotna and moved to the Homer post in September 1991. He was named Outstanding Trooper of the Year for 1993 and was credited for 333 arrests and 500 investigations in 1992-93. Kuhns particularly targeted commercial marijuana grow operations, making 25 marijuana arrests and seizing 4,035 plants in those two years up from four arrests in 1990-91.

He worked with the major crimes unit as a trooper investigator in Anchorage in 1998 until he joined Homer Police in September 1998.

"I really love police work," Kuhns said. "That's what I'm destined to do."

A longtime baseball coach, Kuhns said he hopes to return to coaching high school baseball next spring something his travels kept him from doing. Bridget and Lary Kuhns' son Benjamin is now at Trinidad State Junior College, Colorado, where he pitches for the baseball team. Their oldest son Wes works for the Southwest Alaska Pilots Association out of Valdez. Their youngest child, Lauren, just started kindergarten.

Kuhns fills a position vacated by Jason Crockett, who left Homer last month to join the Anchorage Police Department. Robl said Kuhns has spent the past few weeks getting reacquainted with Homer police. He had to take a two-week refresher course, but maintained his state law enforcement certification.

"I'm really happy to be back," Kuhns said. "I hope I can bring some experience to the department."

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.