As a Colorado Springs Police Department officer of 25 years, and sergeant of 10 years, I truly believe grounding in faith, family and friends, focus on service to others, and pursuit of outdoor activities that push my mental and physical limits, have kept my mental health (mostly!) well-balanced. These things don't always come naturally or easily, and they require intentional choices to stay healthy and not become the disgruntled, "crusty old-timer."
With this background, I find myself drawn toward a focus on the next generation of police officers, seeking to ensure they have the resources to continue serving our community, while maintaining their own physical and mental health and relationships.
In 2006, I experienced the traumatic loss of two fellow officers in the line of duty. One of them, Ken Jordan, was my Academy classmate and truly my big brother who always had my back in every way. Jordan was inspirationally larger than life and fully embraced adventure...losing him was a devastating shock that brought home the risk of my chosen profession, and pushed me to engage with adventure at every opportunity. In 2007, I became involved with the Cops on Top organization whose motto is #NEVERFORGET. I had already climbed several Colorado 14ers, but began climbing in earnest, summiting the high point of states in support of the annual Summit for Heroes memorial event. I've since summited Mt. Elbert (Colorado's high point, at 14,433 ft.) 10 times, as well as Mt. Rainier (Washington state's glacial high point, at 14,411 ft.), and attempted Denali (North America's high point, at 20,310 ft.)
All of this brings me to a place in life where I'm seeking to give back and share my experience with others. I'm honored to have been asked to be a board member of Code 4 Outdoor, and hope in this capacity to contribute to the growth and well-being of my fellow first responders, through engagement with outdoor activities.
Mareshah
