Cops on Top member and supporter,

The June 30^th 2012 Summit for Heroes date is fast approaching! On that day, law enforcement officers, friends, family and supporters will be attempting to reach the highest point in each state in memory of fallen law enforcement officers. Since 2006, Cops on Top has been holding this national event to show our respect for those who have given all. This year, we are again striving to get all 50 states represented. Currently climbers have signed up for 32 states with 18 states yet to cover. We encourage you to help spread the word about the event and consider participating. It's a memorial that you will never forget!

We will be continuing our support of Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) during the 2012 Summit for Heroes memorial climb.  In partnership with C.O.P.S. we will be fundraising for this charity and are asking each participant to donate $5.00 to help support this wonderful organization that helps so many victim officer families.  State team leaders will be briefed on the fundraising process and will pass that information on to all participants.

Visit http://www.copsontop.com/  to see the list of states that haven't been filled or to find a team in your state.

We are also excited to announce our commitment to a 2013 Cho Oyu law enforcement memorial expedition.  Cho Oyu is the sixth tallest mountain in the world (26,846 ft) and marks Cops on Top first memorial expedition to the Himalayan Mountain Range.  Holding true to our tradition, we will be climbing Cho Oyu in honor of a law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty. This is a major endeavor for the Cops on Top team and proper team selection will be paramount with our most experienced climbers selected to represent the organization and a fallen officer. Officer nominations, team formation, and logistics will be announced soon on the Facebook and Cops on Top website.

 

Be safe,

Troy Bacon

Cops on Top, Inc.

Cops on Top is proud to announce that we have just received word that Troy Bacon and Chuck Porter have reached the summit of Aconcagua on behalf of Officer Schmidt. They reached the summit at approximately 1:00 their time and have successfully returned to Camp II where they are resting and re-hydrating. Two other members of the team are descending to Camp I or Plaza Argentina due to altitude illness. We will let everyone know when they are all safely back together. Great job Team! We will NEVER forget!

	STATE	NAME	DEPARTMENT
	Arizona	Ofc. David Smith	Buckeye Police Department
	Humphreys Peak	Carl Johnson
	12,633 ft	Ofc. Mark Filler	Surprise Police Department
		Special Assignment Unit	Surprise Police Department
		Sgt. Bert Anzini	Surprise Police Department
		Det. Enemecio Felix	Surprise Police Department
		Ofc. Robert Gabrych	Surprise Police Department
		Ofc. Jason Lewis	Surprise Police Department
		Ofc. Matt Baker	Surprise Police Department
		Ofc. Josh Waldeck	Surprise Police Department
		Lt. Randy Rody	Surprise Police Department
		Ofc. Jason Buntin	Surprise Police Department
		Ofc. Jeffery Thurman	Surprise Police Department
	Colorado	Chuck Porter	Cops on Top member
	Mt Elbert	Stanislav Zinkov	Cops on Top member
	14,433 ft	Roy Johnson	Cops on Top member
	Indiana	Lt Troy Bacon	Frankfort IN Police Department
	County HP
	940 ft
	New Hampshire	Josh Wiseman	Cops on Top member
	Mt Washington	Anne Wiseman	Cops on Top member
	6,288 ft	Lindsay Fox	Cops on Top member
	New Jersey	Lt John Benyo	Picatinny Arsenal Police Dept
	High Point
	1,803 ft
	Michigan	Deputy Martin Mendell	Allegan County Sheriffs Office
	Nevada	Ofc. Hans Keller	Incline NV Constables Office
	Boundary Peak
	13,140 ft
	New York	Ofc. Ken Hubert	New York Police Department
	Mt. Marcy

On June 15, 2011 approximately 700 law enforcement officers, police survivors, supporters, friends and family members participated in the 2011 Cops on Top Summit for Heroes memorial climbing making this the largest event in the organization's history. Nationwide, participamts stood on their sttae's highest point in honor of the law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty. Whether participants laid a wreath on the summit or gathered by the hundreds, each stated that participated accomplished the goal of never forgetting the heroic sacrifices of our nation's fallen law enforcement officers.

This year was also a very special year for Cops on Top. In conjunction with the 2011 Summit for Herioes memorial climb we again strengthened our support and partnership with Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) by asking participants to donate to this fantastic organization. We were able to raise and donate over $1,800.00 to C.O.P.S.! 

The Texas and Arizona teams displayed the competitive spirit of law enforcement and the heartfelt dedication to honor our fallen brothers and sisters as they competed to see who could get the most people on their summits. This year team Texas was victorious with 126 participants making the memorial climb to Guadalupe Peak! Arizona fell short by only TWO participants and should be proud of the great job they did. The efforts of both of these teams and every team who volunteered theur time on June 25th to hike and climb on behalf of our fallen heroes is greatly appriciated. 

The Summit of Heroes memorial climb would not be possible without the help of all participants, those working tirelessly behind the scenes, and especially the team leaders who helped organize each state team. Our deepest gratitude goes out to each and everyone.

Next year, the 2010 Summit for Heroes memorial climb will be held Saturday, June 30, 2012. We look forward to seeing you all again and ask that you check the website for updates and announcements regarding the 2012 Aconcagua memorial expedition. 

The 2011 Cops on Top Summit for Heroes roster can be viewed (here).

Cops on Top currently has OFFICIAL team merchandise available for a donation. Shown below are the items that are currently available, their descriptions, and suggested donation value.

 

 

The 2012 Aconcagua memorial expedition team has made available blue silicone bracelets with the words "COPS ON TOP" printed on the front and "2012 ACONCAGUA" printed on the back for a generous donation of only $5.00 (shipping and haldling charges may apply) . All donations will help support the 2012 Aconcagua memorial expedition team and help offset the tremendous costs associated with such an expedition. Also, for each bracelet sold, one dollar will go directly to Concerns of Police Survivors to help support victim officers families who have lost a loved one in the line of duty.We are proud to be fundraising for C.O.P.S. Cops on Top is a 501 c 3 non-profit organizations so all donations are tax deductible!

To order the 2012 Aconcagua expedition bracelet:

If you are ordering from EASTERN United States, please click (here).

If you are ordering from the WESTERN United States, please click (here).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cops on Top patch measure approximately 4"x3" and has a suggested donation request of $5.00 each.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictured are the stickers and magnet we currently have available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Left to right: The larger sticker measures approximately 3"x 2 1/2", the smaller sticker measures 1 3/4" x 1 1/2 ", and lastly the magnet that measures approximately 3" x 2 1/2".

 

 

 

Suggested donations (each):

Large sticker: $2.00

Small sticker: $1.00

Magnet: $3.00

Banner: $25.00 plus $5.00 shipping and handling

 

 

Cops on Top is proud to announce the availability of official Team Summit Banners for purchase from the Team's website. The summit flags are especially intended for display on local summits during the Summit for Heroes and September 11 Memorial Climbs. Contact Cops on Top if you would like to purchase one of these custom made, high-quality, summit flags for use in your state.

They're 12" high by 18" long and made of light-weight, wind-catching, nylon, complete with grommets. Small enough to carry to the summit, sturdy enough to fly proudly at any high camp, and beautiful enough to improve any summit photo... or hang proudly on the wall bearing the summit team's signatures!

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in obtaining OFFICIAL Cops on Top items, contact Chuck Porter (click here) with Cops on Top.

 

 

 

 

In past the past decade we have received numerous private donations along with sponsorships from notable companies.  Our list of sponsors includes The North Face and Horace Small subsidiaries of the VF Corporation, 5.11 Tactical, Mammut, Forty Below, Primus, and GU Energy. The success of our memorial expeditions around the world has not been an individual accomplishment but is rather the result of the tremendous encouragement and support we have received from people like you.

Without the generous contributions from these companies and all our contributors, great and small, our major expeditions could not have been achieved.

We thank you for your support!

Corporations interested in sponsoring an annual memorial climb or a major expedition should contact Cops on Top (click here).

Once again, Cops on Top honored all officers, nation wide, who have been killed in the line of duty during the Cops on Top 2009 Summit for Heroes held on June 27, 2009. On that date, Cops on Top fielded teams across the United States to the highest point of almost all 50 states in remembrance of our fallen comrades.

This year, over 250 law enforcement officers, friends and family, volunteers, and police survivors participated in the Summit for Heroes making it our largest event EVER! Cops on Top is an ever growing organization that continues to grow each year!

Although we were unable to get every state filled this year, rest assured that EVERY law enforcement officer that has ever paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving their life protecting the communities they served was NOT forgotten! Many teams experienced bad weather, deep snow, hot sun, and hard climbs but were able to reach their summits to remember the life, memory, and sacrifice of their states fallen officers. Cops on Top is extremely proud of each teams accomplishments and looks forward to the Cops on Top 2010 Summit for Heroes!

To view the Cops on Top 2009 Summit for Heroes team roster click (here)

 

This year, a small number of officer, friends and family, and volunteers climbed their states highest mountain in honor of the law enforcement officers and all public safety personnel that were killed during the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks for the annual Cops on Top 2009 Sept 11 memorial climbs. If you are interested in joining us, please contact Cops on Top.

Listed below is the Cops on Top Sept 11th memorial climb team roster:

	STATE	PARTICIPANTS	DEPARTMENT
	Arizona	Officer Stephen Mangum	Phoenix AZ PD
	Humphreys Peak
	Connecticut	Ken Hubert	NYPD
	Mount Frissell
	Delaware	Cpl. Timothy Hubbard	Westtown East Goshen PD, PA
	Ebright Azimuth
	Idaho	Firefighter Steve Janke	US Forest Service (Ashley N.F.)
	Borah Peak
	Indiana	Lt Troy Bacon	Frankfort Police Department
	Hoosier Hill	Officer Chad Walker	Frankfort Police Department
		Officer Jeremy Rushton	Frankfort Police Department
		Res. Officer Thomas Dillingham	Sheridan Police Department
		Officer Scott Shoemaker	Frankfort Police Department
		Daisy Shoemaker	Scott's wife
		Annie Bacon	Troy's wife
		Isabelle Bacon	Troy's daughter
	Maine	Officer Joshua Wiseman	Portland Police Dept
	Mount Katahdin
	Michigan	Martin Mendell	Allegan CO Sheriffs Office
	Mount Avron
	Nevada	Deputy Erik Wallitner	Washoe County SO
	Boundary Peak	Deputy Miles McQuire	Washoe County SO
		Deputy Mark Stoess	Washoe County SO
		Deputy George Wade	Washoe County SO
		Deputy Bernie Cohen	Washoe County SO
		Deputy Todd Williams	Washoe County SO
		John Chevallier	Resort Sports Network (RSN)
		Brandi Ledbetter	Resort Sports Network (RSN)
		Officer Jay Ortega	Nevada Dept of Corrections
		Officer Hans Keller	Incline Constable Office
		Office Chuck Porter	Denver CO Police Department
		Detective Justin Terry	Las Vegas Metro PD
		Detective Kyle Lopez	Las Vegas Metro PD
		Detective Ryan Jaeger	Las Vegas Metro PD
		Officer Derek Colling	Las Vegas Metro PD
		Officer Courtney Purcell	CCSD Police
	New Jersey	Lieutenant John Benyo	Picatinny Arsenal Police Dept
	High Point	Sgt. Kevin Washington	Picatinny Arsenal Police Dept
		Officer Thomas Byrne	Picatinny Arsenal Police Dept

 

WE WILL NEVER FORGET!

	STATE	PARTICIPANTS	DEPARTMENT
	Alabama	Asst. Sup. Brian Casey	Cheaha State Park
	Cheaha Mountain
	Alaska
	Denali
	Arizona	Officer David Smith	Buckeye PD
	Humphreys Peak	Officer James Rayrioux	Buckeye PD
		Commander Dan Pringle (Ret)	Buckeye PD
		Officer Livi Kacic	Chandler PD
		Detective Brendan Busse	Chandler PD
		Detective Chris Perez	Chandler PD
		Officer Graham Tinius	Chandler PD
		Sgt. Dan Greene	Chandler PD
		Lindsey Slate	Melanie's sister
		Melanie Slate	Chandler PD
		Detective Mike Russo	Chandler PD
		Officer Todd Sullivan	Gilbert PD
		Sgt Stan Mondragon	Gilbert PD
		Jodi Mondragon	Stan's wife
		Bryce Mondragon	Stan and Jodi's son
		Breadon Mondragon	Stan and Jodi's son
		Sgt. Joe Kacic	Gilbert PD
		Officer Andy Bates	Gilbert PD
		Paramedic Roger Bounds	Guardian
		Officer Paul Hermans	Peoria PD
		Officer Ryan Hunt	Mesa PD
		Officer Stephen Mangum	Phoenix AZ PD
		Officer Frank O'Halloran	Scottsdale PD
		Lt Don Smith (Ret)	Sioux City Fire
		Officer Bob Gabrych	Surprise PD
		Dustin Gabrych	Bob's son
		Sgt. Scott Smith	Tempe PD
		Sgt. Eric Anspach	DPS
		Chief Jack Lane	DPS
		Officer Bob Nowlan	DPS
		Kathleen Adams	DPS
		Detective Doug Wheeler	DPS
		Lt John Philpot	DPS
		Scott Church	DPS
		Ann Harwood	DPS
		Officer Russ Dodge	DPS
		Officer Stephanie Allen	DPS
		Sgt. Frank Stewart	DPS
		Mary Jo Aleks	DPS
		Lt Wayde Webb	DPS
		Officer Matthew Engwis	DPS
		Officer Jarrod Lampsa	DPS
		Lt Steve Harrison	DPS
	Arkansas
	Mount Magazine
	California	Sgt. Lance Haight	San Fransico BART Police
	Mount Whitney	Officer Dan Hoover	San Fransico BART Police
		Officer Anthony Pirone	San Fransico BART Police
		Officer Mark Ormsby	Hayward PD
		Under Sheriff Dahl. A Cleek	Tulare County Sheriff's Dept
		Lieutenant Scott Logue	Tulare County Sheriff's Dept
		Sergeant Jon Brown	Tulare County Sheriff's Dept
		Deputy Randy Semic	Tulare County Sheriff's Dept
		Deputy Gracie Johnson	Tulare County Sheriff's Dept
		Deputy Chris Landin	Tulare County Sheriff's Dept
	Colorado	Detective Mareshah Hale	Colorado Springs PD
	Mount Elbert	Officer Gary Corollo	Colorado Springs PD
		Officer Chris Cherry	Colorado Springs PD
	Connecticut	Sgt. Christene Mertes	Hartford Police Department
	Mount Frissel
	Delaware	Officer Mike Natale	Rehoboth Beach PD
	Ebright Azimuth
	Florida	Anna LaCour	Crime Stoppers of Walton Co.
	Britton Hill	Sheriff Michael Adkinson, Jr	Walton County S.O.
		Deputy Harold Shover	Honor Guard, WCSO
		Reverend Tyrone Brodus
		Airman 1st Class Zachary McClure	96th Sec. Forces, Sglin AFB
		Senior Airman Robert Caples	96th Sec. Forces, Sglin AFB
		15-man formation Honor Guard
		Sharon Maierle	Crime Stoppers of Walton Co.
		Jackie Adkins	Crime Stoppers of Walton Co.
	Georgia	Kimberly Verdone	Woodstock Police Department
	Brasstown Bald
	Hawaii
	Mauna Kea
	Idaho
	Borah Peak
	Illinois	Deputy David Garard	Ogle County Sheriffs Office
	Charles Mound
	Indiana	Det. Sgt. Dennis Fishburn	Indianapolis Metro Police
	Hoosier Hill	Mary Fishburn	Dennis's wife
		Officer Jason Fishburn	Indianapolis Metro Police
		Tonya Fishburn	Jason's wife
		Jennifer Fishburn	Dennis and Mary's daughter
	Iowa	Chief Deputy Kevin Wollmuth	Osceola County Sheriff
	Hawkeye Point
	Kansas	Sgt Perry Speelman	Denver CO Police Dept
	Mount Sunflower
	Kentucky	Lt Brian Bennett	Fayette County
	Black Mountain
	Louisiana	Lt. Michael L. Jones	Bienville Parish Sheriff's Office
	Driskill Mountain
	Maine	Gerry Crispo	Royal Canadian Mounted Police
	Mount Katahdin	Constable Brian Carmichael	Fredericton Police Force
		Constable Darryl Carter	Fredericton Police Force
		Constable Nancy Rideout	Fredericton Police Force
		Quartermaster Carson Hagerman	Fredericton Police Force
	Maryland	Deputy Angela Muller	St. Mary's County SO
	Backbone Mt.	John Delozier	Angela's husband
		Alaxander Muller	Angela's son
		Jim Hollis	Angela's uncle
		Sgt. Douglas White	Washington County SO
		Major Robert Leatherman
		Bobby Leatherman	Robert's son
		Major Sam Bilotti
		Sgt Paul Boyer
		Deputy Casey Barnes
		Trooper Josh Barnes
		Deputy Annette Sprecher
		Deputy Mike Palladino
		Deputy Mark Albowitz
		Deputy Joel Footen
		Deputy Allan Matheny
		Retired Cpl. Scott Matheny
		Deputy Brian Burke
		Deputy Bryan Teets
		PCO Sarah Faith
		Deputy Rick Kemmerer
		Sgt Mark Price
		Deputy Jason Willison
		PCO Carmen Nason
		Sgt Douglas White
		Mason White	Doug's son
	Massachusetts	Officer John Bassi	Pittsfield Police Dept
	Greylock
	Michigan	Deputy Martain Mendell	Allegan MI County SO
	Mount Avron	Connor Mendell	Martin's son
		Eda Mendell	Martin's daughter
	Minnesota	Sgt Steve Clark	White Bear Police Dept
	Eagle Mountain
	Mississippi	Chief Joel Spellins	Sherman Police Department
	Woodall Mountain
	Missouri
	Taum Sauk
	Montana	Captain Keith McPheeters	Farmington NM Police Dept
	Granite Peak	Rocky Fails	Farmington NM Police Dept (Ret)
		Officer Stu Frink	Washington State Patrol
		Lane McPheeters	Weber County UT SO SAR
		Logan McPheeters	Lane's son
		Lieutenant Troy Bacon	Frankfort IN Police Dept
		Chief Ranger Rick Mossman	National Park Service
		Officer Chuck Porter	Denver CO Police Department
	Nebraska	Chief Doug Provance	Kimball Police Department
	Panorama Point
	Nevada	Deputy Erik Wallitner	Washoe County Sheriffs Office
	Boundry Peak	Officer Hans Keller	Incline Constable Office
		Officer Shawn Woodard	Las Vegas PD
		Officer Kyle Owen	Las Vegas PD
		Officer Justin Terry	Las Vegas PD
		Officer Won Cho	Las Vegas PD
		Sgt. Darren Heiner	Las Vegas PD
		Officer Al Gibson	Las Vegas PD
		Officer Kyle Lopez	Las Vegas PD
		Tom Hawley	Channel 3 News
		John Chevallier	Resort Sports Network (RSN)
	New Hampshire	Sgt. Jim Soucy	Manchester Police Department
	Mount Washington	Officer Paul Rondeau	Manchester Police Department
		Officer Bill Soucy	Manchester Police Department
		Det. Steve Coco	Manchester Police Department
		Captain Dave Reilly	Manchester Police Department
		Det. Dave Dupont	Manchester Police Department
		Det. Tim Chapel	Manchester Police Department
		Det. Rick Brown	Manchester Police Department
		Capt. Gerry Lassard	Manchester Police Department
		Officer Paul Grugan	Manchester Police Department
		PPO Mark O'Donoghue	NH Dept of Corrections
		PPO Dave Bouchard	NH Dept of Corrections
		PPO Gerry Lagasse	NH Dept of Corrections
		Trooper Sean Haggerty	NH State Police
	New Jersey	Lt John Benyo	Picatinny NJ Police Dept
	High Point
	New Mexico	Officer Jerry Hogrefe	Red River NM Police Department
	Wheeler Peak
	New York	Lt. Paul Sandy	Cortland NY Police
	Mount Marcy	Chief John P. Colella	Macedon Police Department
		Rachel Colella	Wayne County S.O
		Officer William Powell	Macedon Police Department
		Stephanie Powell	William's wife
		Sgt. Tom Cooman	Macedon Police Department
		Officer Earl Lergnet IV	Macedon Police Department
		Ken Hubert	NYPD
	North Carolina	Sgt. Joe Friday Jr	Greenville Police Department
	Mount Mitchell
	North Dakota	Jeff Azure	Bismarck Police Dept.
	White Butte
	Ohio	Deputy Donn Steer	Muskingum County SO
	Campbell Hill	Deputy Nicole Brown	Muskingum County SO
		Patty Steer	Donn's wife
		Colin Steer	Son
		Clay Steer	Son
		Phil Janke	Police Survior
		Bev Janke	Police Survior
	Oklahoma
	Black Mesa
	Oregon
	Mount Hood
	Pennsylvania	Officer Jim Kuzak	Peters Township Police Dept
	Mount Davis
	Rhode Island	Capt. Eric C. Rollinson	Foster Police Department
	Jerimoth Hill
	South Carolina	Jim Burriss	Greenville County S.O.
	Sassafras Mt.
	South Dakota	Commander Brian Mueller	Pennington CO SO
	Harney Peak	Sgt. Randy Harkins	Pennington CO SO
		Deputy D. Calhoun	Pennington CO SO
		Deputy J. Fagerland	Pennington CO SO
		Deputy Matt Sargent	Pennington CO SO
	Tennessee	Deputy Rick Abbott	Clinton County IN SO
	Clingmans Dome	Comm. Officer Amanda Abbott	Frankfort IN Police Dept
		Bailea Abbott	Rick and Amanda's daughter
		Stan Pugh	Amanda's father
		Merri Pugh	Amanda's mother
	Texas	Sgt. Mike Hoyt	Dallas TX Police Department
	Guadalupe Peak	Police Officer Scott Ash	Dallas TX Police Department
		Detective Jeremy Borchardt	Dallas TX Police Department
		Police Officer Joshua Cloutier	Dallas TX Police Department
		Detective Fred MacDonald	Dallas TX Police Department
		Police Officer Brad Riede	Dallas TX Police Department
		Detective Tom Popken	Dallas TX Police Department
		Police Officer Joshua Vogel	Dallas TX Police Department
		Sgt. Ron Martin	El Paso TX Police Department
		Officer Jose Talavera	El Paso TX Police Department
		Officer Edward Saucedo	El Paso TX Police Department
		Officer Joshua Paulson	El Paso TX Police Department
		Officer Norman Montion	El Paso TX Police Department
		Officer Robert Pisarcik	El Paso TX Police Department
		Officer Jesus Gomez	El Paso TX Police Department
		Lt. Ray Leible	Midland Police Dept
		Sgt. Brian Rackow	Midland Police Dept
		Sgt. David Scardino	Midland Police Dept
		Ofc. Dave Edwards	Midland Police Dept
		Ofc. Brent Sheets	Midland Police Dept
		Ofc. Margarita Carrasco	Midland Police Dept
		Casey Stone -Fitness Coordinator	Midland Police Dept
		Delila Venegas - TRU Supervisor	Midland Police Dept
		Liz Reagan - TRU	Midland Police Dept
		Officer Fernie Rincon	Texas State Park Police
		Officer Jacob Barton	Texas State Park Police
	Utah	Firefighter Steve Janke	US Forest Service (Ashley N.F.)
	Kings Peak	Ing-Marie Janke	Steve's wife
		Jennifer Tanner	Police Survivor
	Vermont	Michele Magee	Middlebury PD
	Mount Mansfield
	Virginia	Scott Humphrey	Virginia Beach Police Dept
	Mount Rogers
	Washington
	Mount Rainier
	West Virginia	Det. Corporal Jamie Blume	Beckley Police Department
	Spruce Knob
	Wisconsin	Officer Aaron Thornton	Sturgeon Bay Police Dept
	Timms Hill
	Wyoming
	Gannett

In 1999 soon after starting my career as a law enforcement officer, I accompanied my Deputy Chief and another rookie officer to a police funeral for Indiana State Trooper Richard Gaston, who was killed in the line of duty on March 4th, 1999. To be honest, if I was not "made" to go I probably wouldn't have gone. At that early stage in my career, I was invincible and being new, the reality of being killed in the line of duty was not on my list of concerns. Being a rookie officer, keeping my boots shined and uniform pressed seemed far more important. On our way to Indianapolis, the Deputy Chief went over the dos and don'ts at the funeral, what to expect, and the amount of people that would be there to honor Trooper Gaston. It was a chilly day, I thought. How many people would really be there?

As we neared the entrance of the church, needless to say, I was immediately intimidated and surprised by the hundreds of officers from around the country that were walking inside. I clearly remember seeing patches and uniforms as far away as New Mexico and wondering why someone would come so far to honor someone they had never met. As we walked inside, someone pinned a white carnation under my badge and directed us to the seating area. After the service was over, we gathered outside and stood at attention as the casket was carried to the hearse. We then processed to the cemetery and stood in honor as Trooper Gaston was laid to rest. I then realized what it meant. Why officers had traveled hundreds of miles. The bond that law enforcement officers share for each other is unlike anything that I had ever seen or can describe to this day. After that day, honoring fallen officers and never forgetting the sacrifice they paid to keep us safe is something that I was drawn to.

In 2005, I read an article written by Keith McPheeters of the Farmington New Mexico Police Department about an organization called Cops on Top. As I engrossed myself in the details of the article, I marveled at the lengths (and heights) the group would go to honor our fallen brothers and sisters. As I read about major expeditions the group had undertaken, I was intrigued by an upcoming Cops on Top event honoring those who had been killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorists attacks. The goal was to get law enforcement officers on the highest points of their state. Being a hiker and climber already, I immediately emailed Keith and told him that I was in. I recruited three other officers to accompany me (Officer's Adam Noether, Jeff Downey, and Scott Shoemaker) to Richmond, Indiana, where we reached the highpoint of Indiana (Hoosier Hill).

Since that September day, I have continued to participate in Cops on Top events and have come to the realization of the importance of Cops on Top and what it means to participants, friends, family, and co-workers of fallen officers. On January 12, 2009 a team of Cops on Top climbers will travel to Mendoza, Argentina, to honor Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski who was killed in the line of duty on May 3, 2008. I am proud and honored to be a part of the team that will not only honor Sergeant Liczbinski, but also carry on the tradition and mission of Cops on Top and to let the world know that we WILL NEVER FORGET!

Troy Bacon

 

 

	STATE	PARTICIPANTS	DEPARTMENT
	Arizona	Officer David Smith	Buckeye PD, AZ
	Humphreys Peak	Officer James Rayroux	Buckeye PD, AZ
	12,633 ft	(Ret) Lt Donald J Smith Jr	Sioux City Fire Dept.
	Georgia	Det. Kimberly Verdone	Union County S.O., GA
	Brasstown Bald	Lt. Brad Niebrand	Union County S.O., GA
	4,784 ft	Firefighter Joe Nickerson	Union Co. Vol. Fireservice
		Firefighter Woody Childs	Union Co. Vol. Fireservice
	Indiana	Lt. Troy Bacon	Frankfort PD, IN
	Hoosier Hill	Officer Scott Shoemaker	Frankfort PD, IN
	1,257 ft	Officer Adam Noether	Frankfort PD, IN
		Officer Chad Walker	Frankfort PD, IN
	Maryland	PFC. Mike Soden	Prince Georges County Police
	Backbone Mountain
	3,360 ft
	Massachusetts	Lt. Greg Hould	Billerica Emergency Police
	Mount Greylock	Officer John Bassi	Pittsfield Police Department
	3,491 ft	Detective Kim Bertelli	Pittsfield Police Department
		Sgt. Jim Roccabruna	Pittsfield Police Department
		Investigator Bill King	Pittsfield Police Department
		Officer James McIntyre	Pittsfield Police Department
		Detective John Gray	Pittsfield Police Department
		Officer Darren Derby	Lanesboro Police Dept.
		Officer Steven Hunt	Pittsfield Police Department
		Officer David Orsi	Pittsfield Police Department
		Detective Diane Caccamo	Pittsfield Police Department
	Nevada	Lt. Keith McPheeters	Farmington PD, NM
	Boundary Peak	Dep. Erik Wallitner	Washoe County S.O.
	13,143 ft	Dep. Miles McGuire	Washoe County S.O.
		Dep. Mark Stoess	Washoe County S.O.
		Dep. George Wade	Washoe County S.O.
		Teresa Waston	Washoe County S.O.
		Candi Bennet	Washoe County S.O.
		Off. Justin Terry	Las Vegas Metro PD
		Off. Kyle  Owen	Las Vegas Metro PD
		Off. Sean  Woodard	Las Vegas Metro PD
		Off. Steve Smith	Albuquerqe Airport PD
		John Chevallier	Resort Sport Network, CA
	New Jersey	Chief Jan Wright	Hamburg Police Dept, NJ
	High Point	Lt John C. Benyo	Picatinny Arsenal Police
	1,803 ft	Officer Bryan T. Simm	Picatinny Arsenal Police
		Officer Thomas Byrne	Picatinny Arsenal Police
		Officer Jason Moreland	Picatinny Arsenal Police
	New York	Officer Ken Hubert	NYPD
	Mount Marcy
	5,344 ft
	Oklahoma	Sgt. Perry Speelman	Denver PD, CO
	Black Mesa	Officer Chuck Porter	Denver PD, CO
	4,973 ft
	South Carolina	Lt. Jim Burriss	Greenville County SO, SC
	Sassafras Mountain
	3,560 ft
	Tennessee	Paul Corridean	Federal L.E.O. Association
	Clingmans Dome
	6,643 ft
	Utah	Steve Janke	U.S. Forest Service/Firefighter
	Kings Peak	Nate Kline	Ogden Utah Police Dept
	13,528 ft
	Canada	Officer Duncan Campbell	Saanich Police, BC
	Vancouver Is. B.C
	Mt Arrowsmith
	5,961 ft

 

Participant Agreement, Acknowledgment of Risk, and

Release from Liability

for 

Cops on Top

The information on this site is a compilation of unverified information from many different sources. Accuracy of any of the information cannot be assured, as it is subject to change over time.   Also, descriptions of difficulty and danger are always subjective and depend on the physical characteristics, experience, technical ability, confidence, and physical fitness of the individual who supplied the description.  Therefore, be warned that you must exercise your own judgment on its difficulty and your ability to safely protect yourself from risk.  
 
Your safety depends on your own good judgment, based your own experience and a realistic assessment of your ability. If you have any doubt as to your ability, do not attempt it. 

To make your experience safer, you are advised to consult with others about the difficulty and danger prior to attempting it, and engage an instructor or guide to learn safety techniques. 

• VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION: You acknowledge that participation in any Cops on Top activity is voluntary.

 

• ASSUMPTION OF RISK: You are aware that these activities involve risk, and could result in injury, illness, death, and damage or loss of property. These dangers include but are not limited to: the hazards of traveling in remote areas without medical services or care, the forces of nature, the inherent dangers involved in participation in recreation, wilderness travel, and the negligent actions of other persons or agencies. You understand that all activities should be considered "exploratory", with the possibility of unexpected conditions and route variations. Cops on Top is not, nor does not provide, a professional guiding service. In order to partake in the enjoyment and excitement of these activities, you are willing to accept the risk and uncertainty involved as being an integral part of the activity. You acknowledge this risk, and assume full responsibility for any and all risks of injury, illness, death, or damage and loss to property.

 

• PREPARATION: You understand that it is your responsibility to evaluate the difficulty of any Cops on Top activity in which you participate, and decide whether you are prepared by having the experience, skill, knowledge, equipment, and the physical and emotional stamina to safely participate.

 

• RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND PROMISE NOT TO SUE: You agree that you, your heirs, and your personal or legal representatives hereby do release and hold harmless from all liability, and promise not to bring any suit or claim against, Cops on Top, its owners, leaders, directors, agents or representatives for any injury, illness, death, or damage and loss to property resulting from participation in any of their activities even if they negligently caused the injury or damage.

 

• LEGAL FEES: Should it become necessary for Cops on Top, or someone on their behalf, to incur attorney's fees and costs to enforce this agreement, you agree to pay Cops on Top reasonable costs and fees thereby expended, or for which liability is incurred.

 

• INSURANCE: You certify that you have sufficient insurance to cover any bodily injury or property damage that you may incur and/or cause while participation in any Cops on Top activity. If you have no such insurance, you certify that you are capable of paying for all such expenses and liabilities.

 

	STATE	PARTICIPANTS	DEPARTMENT
	Alabama	Officer Jeff Downey	Frankfort Police Department, IN
	Cheaha Mountain	Tonya Downey	Frankfort, IN
	2,407 Feet	Jason Downey	Frankfort, IN
		Ryan Downey	Frankfort, IN
		Kimberly Downey	Frankfort, IN
		David Odem	Park Ranger, Mt. Cheaha, AL
		Lt. Col. Steve Thompson	Montgomery Police Department
		Major Greg Hardy	Montgomery Police Department
		Officer Beverly Perkins	Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women
		Officer Bill Sherlock	Alabama State FOP
		Officer Wade Batey	Huntsville Police Department
		Leslie Freeman	Huntsville, AL
		Austin Freeman	Huntsville, AL
		Armon McGuire	Huntsville, AL
	Alaska	John Leonard	National Park Service
	Denali
	23,320 Feet
	Arizona	Brian McAchran	Buckeye Police Dept (Ret.), AZ
	Humphreys Peak	Officer Dave Smith	Buckeye Police Dept, AZ
	12,633 Feet	Officer Kevin Rorke	Buckeye Police Dept, AZ
		Commander Mark Mann	Buckeye Police Dept, AZ
		Fireighter Donald Smith Jr.	Sioux City Iowa FD (Ret.)
	Arkansas	David Spicer	Logan County Sheriffs Office
	Mount Magazine	Chief Stan Campbell	Booneville PD
	2,753 Feet	Chief Boyd Hicks	Magazine PD
		Sheriff Steve Smith	Logan County Sheriffs Office
		Deputy Don Valentine	Logan County Sheriffs Office
		Gail Upchurch
		Lester Upchurch
		Denise Spicer
		Joel Kinney
	California	Kelly Baraga	CA Highway Patrol
	Mt Whitney	Elisa Cush
	14,494 Feet	Brian Spitek	FS Ranger
		Dave Kirk	FS Ranger
	Colorado	Detective Mareshah Hale	Colorado Springs PD, CO
	Mount Elbert	Officer Christopher Cherry	Colorado Springs PD, CO
	14,433 Feet	Officer Gary Corollo	Colorado Springs PD, CO
		Officer Marko Somersalmi	Colorado Springs PD, CO
		Officer John McFarland	Colorado Springs PD, CO
		Detective Mike Happ	Colorado Springs PD, CO
		Officer Pete Tomitsch	Colorado Springs PD, CO
		Perry Speelman	Denver Police Department, CO
		Shawn Miller	Denver Police Department, CO
		Chris Avitia	Denver Police Department, CO
		Thomas Johnston	Denver Police Department, CO
		Ryan Nunnelly	Denver Police Department, CO
	Connecticut	Trooper J. Poisson	Connecticut State Police
	Mount Frissel
	2,380 Feet
	Delaware	Cpl. Trinidad Navarro	New Castle County Police
	Ebright Azimuth	Sergeant James Unger	New Castle County Police
	448 Feet	Lieutenant Vaughn Bond	New Castle County Police
		Corporal Bucky Sayers	New Castle County Police
		Officer William Yeldell	New Castle County Police
		Officer Perry Sorrels	New Castle County Police
	Florida	Anna LaCour	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
	Britton Hill	David Hill	Eglin AF 919th Sec.Forces Squad
	345 Feet	Kim Long	Eglin AF 919th Sec.Forces Squad
		Courtney Miller	Eglin AF 919th Sec.Forces Squad
		Clay Parrish	Eglin AF 919th Sec.Forces Squad
		Rick Stevens	Eglin AF 919th Sec.Forces Squad
		Kathy McCurdy	Panama City Police Department
		Sheriff John P. McDaniel	Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
		D/S Leonard Cody	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S Jason Day	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S Bruce Shambo	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S Erik Hartsel	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S Erik Sormrude	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S John Glenister	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S Eli Dunbar	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S Artie Rodriguez	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S Scott Thompson	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S Harold Shover	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S Richard Huxhold	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		Tommie Adkins	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		Capt Eddie Farris	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S Nikki Hartsel	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		Inv Rome Garrett	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S Rodney Carland	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
		D/S John Manning	Walton County Sheriffs Office, FL
	Georgia	Detective Kimberly Verdone	Union County Sheriffs Office, GA
	Brasstown Bald	Lt. Tony Verdone	Union County Sheriffs Office, GA
	4,784 Feet	Sheriff Scott Stephens	Union County Sheriffs Office, GA
		Sgt Chad Deyton	Union County Sheriffs Office, GA
		K9 Bodie	Union County Sheriffs Office, GA
	Hawaii
	Mauna Kea
	13,796 Feet
	Idaho
	Borah Peak
	12,662 Feet
	Illinois	Lt. Brian R. Melton	Jo Daviess County SO, IL
	Charles Mound
	1,235 Feet
	Indiana	Deputy Rick Abbott	Clinton County Sheriffs Office, IN
	Hoosier Hill	Amanda Abbott	Frankfort Police Department, IN
	1,257 Feet	Bailea Abbott
	Iowa	Sheriff Doug Weber	Osceola County S.O.
	Hawkeye Point
	1,670 Feet
	Kansas	Larry Townsend	Wallace County S.O.
	Mount Sunflower
	4,039 Feet
	Kentucky	Sheriff Marvin Lipfird	Harlan County SO
	Black Mountain
	4,145 Feet
	Louisiana	Michael Jones	Bienville Parish SO
	Driskill Mountain	Sheriff John Ballance	Bienville Parish SO
	535 Feet	Det. Randy Price	Bienville Parish SO
		Dy. Gary Hill	Bienville Parish SO
		Dy. Rusty Poland	Bienville Parish SO
		Dy. Micah Crawford	Bienville Parish SO
		Dy. Jess Ketchum	Bienville Parish SO
		Dy. Clint Smith	Bienville Parish SO
		Dy. Justin Sullivan	Bienville Parish SO
		Warden Danny Driskill	Bienville Parish SO
		Constable Jack Sullivan	Bienville Parish Constable
		Cadet Ryan Barnette	Minden LA. PD
		Tammy Jump	ADA 2nd Judicial District
		Jonathon Stewart	ADA 2nd Judicial District
		Nathan Jump	Violinist (Tammy's Husband)
		Zane Ketchum	(Jess' son)
		Kasey Sullivan	(Justin's daughter)
		Jackie sullivan	(Jack's wife)
		Carrie Muse	(Justin's friend)
		Wayne Dring	Editor-Bienville Parish Democrat
	Maine	Constable Gerry Crispo	Royal Canadian Mounted Police
	Mount Katahdin	Quartermaster Carson Hagerman	Fredericton Police Force
	5,268 Feet	Constable Scott Dixon	Fredericton Police Force
		Constable Jamie Jones	Fredericton Police Force
		Constable Nancy Rideout	Fredericton Police Force
		Constable Darryl Carter	Fredericton Police Force
		Constable Michael Fox	Fredericton Police Force
		Constable Brian Carmichael	Fredericton Police Force
	Maryland	Michael Soden	Prince Georges County Police
	Backbone Mountain	Sunny Mrotek	Prince Georges County Police
	3,360 Feet	Brian Lott	Prince Georges County Police
		Steve Stennett	Prince Georges County Police
		DFC Curtis O’Neal	Garrett County Sheriffs Office
		Major Randy Resh	Garrett County Sheriffs Office
		Det. Dave McLaughlin	Garrett County Sheriffs Office
		Cpl. Chris Helbig	Garrett County Sheriffs Office
		K-9 Bach	Garrett County Sheriffs Office
		Det. Dave Teets	Garrett County Sheriffs Office
		DFC Val Drummond	Garrett County Sheriffs Office
		Sgt. Clark Warnick	Garrett County Sheriffs Office
		Lt. Mike Bittinger	Garrett County Sheriffs Office
	Massachusetts	Officer John Bassi	Pittsfield Police Department
	Greylock	Jim McIntyre
	3,491 Feet	Diane Caccamo
	Michigan	Marty Mendell	Allegan County Sheriffs Office, MI
	Mount Arvon
	1,979 Feet
	Minnesota	Major Lisa M. Souders	Military Police Company, USMC
	Eagle Mountain	Gary Pennell
	2,301 Feet	Lone Pennell
		Gwen Pennell
	Mississippi	Chief Joel Spellins	Sherman Police Department
	Woodall Mountain	Asst. Chief Jeff Turner	Sherman Police Department
	806 Feet	Jason Myers	Sherman Police Department
		Terry Bateman	Sherman Police Department
	Missouri	Ray Koch	Ironton PD
	Taum Sauk
	1,772 Feet
	Montana	Lt. Keith McPheeters	Farmington PD, NM
	Granite Peak	Chuck Porter	Denver PD, CO
	12,799 Feet	Stu Frink	Washington State Patrol
		Troy Bacon	Frankfort PD, IN
	Nebraska	Chief Doug Provance	Kimball Police Department
	Panorama Point
	5,424 Feet
	Nevada	Erik Wallitner	Washoe County Sheriffs Office
	Boundry Peak	Debbie Morin	Washoe County Sheriffs Office
	13,143 Feet	Bernie Cohen	Washoe County Sheriffs Office
		Hans Keller	Incline Village Constable Office
		Justin Terry	Las Vegas Police Department
		Jon Hartner	Las Vegas Police Department
		Kyle Owen	Las Vegas Police Department
		Won Cho	Las Vegas Police Department
		Liza Cho	Las Vegas Police Department
		John Thayer	Las Vegas Police Department
		Kyle Lopez	Las Vegas Police Department
	New Hampshire	Sgt. Jim Soucy	Manchester Police Department
	Mount Washington	Officer William Soucy	Manchester Police Department
	6,288 Feet	Officer Paul Rondeau	Manchester Police Department
		Officer Matt Winn	Manchester Police Department
		Paul Grugan	Manchester Police Department
	New Jersey	Lt John Benyo	Picatinny Arsenal PD, NJ
	High Point	Officer Bryan T. Simm	Picatinny Arsenal PD, NJ
	1,803 Feet	Officer Thomas Byrne	Picatinny Arsenal PD, NJ
		Officer Jason Moreland	Picatinny Arsenal PD, NJ
	New Mexico	Jerry Hogrefe	Red River PD
	Wheeler Peak
	13,161 Feet
	New York	Ken Hubert	New York Police Department
	Mt. Marcy
	5,644 Feet
	North Carolina	Captain Thomas Forrest	Greenville Police Department, NC
	Mount Mitchell	Sgt. Joe Friday	Greenville Police Department, NC
	6,684 Feet	Captain Joe Bartlett	Greenville Police Department, NC
		Cpl. Richard Tyndall	Greenville Police Department, NC
		Officer Mike Staffelbach	Greenville Police Department, NC
		John Hicks	Avery County Sheriffs Office
	North Dakota	Jeff Azure	Bismark PD
	White Butte	Steve Kilde
	3,506 Feet
	Ohio	Officer Chad Walker	Frankfort Police Department, IN
	Campbell Hill	Morgan Momberger
	1,550 Feet	Lt. Randy Dodds	Lodgan County Sheriffs Office
	Oklahoma	Rocky Fails	Farmington PD, NM (Retired)
	Black Mesa
	4,973 Feet
	Oregon	Officer Spencer Berntsen	Bremerton P.D.
	Mount Hood	Jim Mitchell
	11,239 Feet
	Pennsylvania
	Mount Davis
	3,213 Feet
	Rhode Island	Captain Eric Rollinson	Foster Police Department
	Jerimoth Hill	Sgt. Bill Ziehl	Foster Police Department
	812 Feet	Officer Mario Mennella	Foster Police Department
	South Carolina	Sgt. Jim Burriss	Greenville County Sheriffs Office
	Sassafras Mountain
	3,560 Feet
	South Dakota	Keith McPheeters	Farmington PD, NM
	Harney Peak	Chuck Porter	Denver PD, NM
	7,242 Feet	Troy Bacon	Frankfort PD, IN
	Tennessee	Paul Corridean	Federal L.E.O  Association
	Clingmans Dome	Mike Kelley
	6,6643 Feet
	Texas	Robert Kolar	UTSAPD
	Guadalupe Peak	Lamar Ming	Houston County Sheriffs Office
	8,749 Feet	Sgt. Mike Hoyt	Dallas Police Department
		Sr. Cpl. Phil Gordon	Dallas Police Department
	Utah	Ken Pearce	Salt Lake City PD
	Kings Peak	Officer Nick Pearce	Salt Lake City PD
	13,528 Feet
	Vermont	Officer Erick Erickson	Bennington Police Department
	Mount Mansfield	K9 Colonel	Bennington Police Department
	4,393 Feet	Officer Peter Chapman	Burlington Police Department
		Michele Magee	Vermont State Police
		Sgt. Robert Ryan	Barre Police Department
	Virginia	Sgt. Scott Humphrey	Virginia Beach Police, VA
	Mount Rogers	John McLuckie	Virginia Beach Police, VA
	5,729 Feet	Billy Hannigan	Virginia Beach Police, VA
		Michael DeSantis	Virginia Beach Police, VA
		Russ Shelburne	Norfolk Police Department
	Washington	Dan Camiccia	National Park Service (LE Ranger)
	Mount Rainier
	14,411 Feet
	West Virginia	Capt. T.R. Queen	W.V. Public Service Commission
	Spruce Knob
	4,863 Feet
	Wisconsin	Brian Willison	Dane County SO (Ret), WI
	Timms Hill	Officer Nathan Pekarske	Wausau Police Department
	1,951 Feet	Lt. James Wadinski	Wausau Police Department
		Officer Mark Klein	Wausau Police Department
		Det. Jeff Strobach	Wausau Police Department
	Wyoming	Lane McPheeters	Weber County UT SO SAR
	Gannett	Jamis McPheeters	US Forest Service (contractor)
	13,804 Feet	Logan McPheeters
	Canada	Highpoints
	Vancouver Is. BC	Duncan Campbell	Saanich BC Police Department
	Mt Arrowsmith
	5961 Feet