General

Rainier Summit for Heroes shirts!

TroyBacon — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:12:25 GMT

Cops on Top team member Ryan Hunt is selling 2010 Cops on Top team Rainier shirts to raise money for Concerns of Police Survivors. If you are interested in getting one, contact Ryan at rh12183@msn.com. He only has about 20 left.

New Facebook page

TroyBacon — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:32:43 GMT

We have established a new Facebook page that will enable us to post past expedition photos and much more! Check us out (here).

American Alpine Club article

TroyBacon — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:09:02 GMT

Cops on Top and the Denali expedition team is featured in an article on the American Alpine Club website. Check it out (here).

Training climbs

Jeff Rabine — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:42:44 GMT

I was wondering if any of the members in the California area (North or South) would be interested in getting together to do some training climbs. I'm absolutely willing to travel to meet up for the opportunity to learn new skills. Anyone interested please let me know. Thanks, Ofc. Jeff Rabine SDCCPD - CRT jdrabine@gmail.com

Recommended Gear

Jeff Rabine — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:09:42 GMT

Hello All, I'm pretty new to the site and climbing in general. This site is great and I am starting to get to know some of you. Gotta thank Troy Bacon for his help so far! I'm extremely interested and am starting my climbing career but could use some advice from you experienced climbers. What I need is an idea of a basic gear list I should acquire for my upcoming hikes this year to Mt. Whitney and hopefully Boundary Peak. Next year I'm planning on attempting Mt. Hood and maybe even Mt. Rainier. My ultimate goal is Everest with this group in a few years. I live in San Diego and was also wondering if there are any Southern California climbers that I can hook up with to do some local climbs and learn from. I certainly don't mind traveling to up my skills and get to know some of the members. I'm doing my part now to put the word out about Cops on Top and will be an active member in my newfound passion. I appreciate any and all help / advice! Ofc. Jeff Rabine SDCCPD - CRT/FTU jdrabine@gmail.com

Cops on Top on Facebook

TroyBacon — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:07:14 GMT

If you are interested in networking with other Cops on Top members on Facebook or just want to keep informed on upcoming events, join us (here).

'10 Summit for Heroes

TroyBacon — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:37:53 GMT

The date for the 2010 Summit for Heroes will be June 26th, 2010!

We will never forget!

Asolo's contribution

TroyBacon — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:52:51 GMT

Cops on Top would like to thank Asolo for their generous contribution to the members of the Cops on Top organization. Asolo has been helping Cops on Top and its members for many years. I was introduced to Asolo about 5 years ago when I purchased a pair of AFS 8000 plastic boots. I have to say, they have been great for me on major mountains and cold/snowy expeditions!

I encourage Cops on Top members to take full advantage of Asolo's offer!

Not a Cops on Top member? Check out Asolo (here).

Justice served!

TroyBacon — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:36:06 GMT

For those of you who don't know, Officer Jason Fishburn of the Indianapolis Metro Police Department (who reached the summit of Hoosier Hill for the 2009 Cops on Top Summit for Heroes) was shot in the head on July 10, 2008 by Brian Reese. Yesterday, a jury took 90 minutes to convict Reese for attempted murder, resisting law enforcement, and carrying a handgun without a license.

Officer Fishburn still works for the Indy Metro PD in a limited capacity.

Reese could face up to 59 years in prison.

Congratulations to the Officer Fishburn and his family...justice served!

9-11 Teams

TroyBacon — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:39:46 GMT

I wanted to wish all of the 9-11 team members good luck and thank you for taking the time out of your busy week to reach your states high point in honor of all of the brave law enforcement officers and public safety personnel that were killed during the Sept 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Their secrifice and bravery will never be forgotten.

Hyrdation pack or bottles?

TroyBacon — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:19:38 GMT

[Poll]

Mountain or Marathon?

TroyBacon — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:05:42 GMT

While climbing off the steep slopes of Mount Rainier in 2006 with my great friends Chuck and Perry (after a successful summit) I over heard another climber (that was not climbing with us) say he would have rather run a marathon than climb Mount Rainier again. Recently, I was a member of the 2009 Cops on Top Sgt. Liczbinski Aconcagua memorial expedition. There too, I overheard someone at Plaza Argentina (Base Camp) say he would rather run a marathon than climb Aconcagua again. Well, I thought...why not! I signed up for the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon and will be running on May 2nd, 2009, with some of my LEO friends. I thought I would see (for myself) what is tougher...running or climbing. I will let you all know how it goes.

The Annual Cops on Top September 11 Memorial Climbs

Keith McPheeters — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:24:06 GMT

One of the most striking memories that I have of the many adventures I have experienced with Cops on Top is not one of imminent danger, nor one of threatening weather or of a humbling mountain vista. Rather, it is the memory of the emotions that overwhelmed me on the summit of Borah Peak, the highest mountain in Idaho. During a marathon quest through three states, Trooper Stu Frink of the Washington State Patrol and I had arrived at the 12,662 foot summit of Borah under perfect conditions in September of 2003 to honor the fallen officers who had been taken from us in the terrorist attacks of 9-11, as well as the fallen officers of the State of Idaho. It was the second year of what has become an annual tradition with Cops on Top of honoring the sacrifice of the single deadliest day in the history of Law Enforcement.

On the summit, we undertook our traditional activities, ceremonies, and remembrances that have come to mark our arrival on the summits of the world's mountains. The taking of photos, the flying of flags and banners, and the calling of loved ones has become a routine bathed in emotion and the feeling of accomplishment, but always shadowed by the loss of coworkers and friends, fellow officers who have been killed in the line of duty.

As part of our routine, we opened the canister containing the summit register logbook for the purpose of documenting our visit and to leave a message for all those who would come after us of why we had come, so that they too, would know of the sacrifice laid down by police officers who they had never known, but who had died in the line of duty on their behalf. Once finished, we scanned through the register, till we came upon a previous Cops on Top entry. It was the summit entry made by the Cops on Top team members who had arrived there on September 11, 2002, during the first annual 9-11 Memorial Climbs. The passion and dedication of the officers was evident in their summit entry honoring the fallen officers that so willingly gave their lives exactly one year earlier in 2001. I was instantly proud to have been a part of the first September 11 Memorial Climbs (even though I had been on a different team in a different state) and took solace in the humble offering made by these fine officers on the highest point of Idaho.

Reading further, we discovered the entry of climbers who had attained the summit of Borah on that fateful day of September 11, 2001. Like us, they had arrived at the summit; tired but joyful at their accomplishment. Like us, they had taken their summit photos and had called home to share their joy with loved ones far away. It was then that they had learned of the day's events. Their sober summit logbook entry was very realistic and insightful. In clear language, they documented that they had set foot upon the mountain early that day and would step off of it later that night, into a new age, their lives having been dramatically altered and their world changed forever. Their sense of loss was evident.

It was the same that we had all felt on that tragic day. I was forced to remember once again how small and impotent I had felt as I watched on live TV as 71 of my fellow police officers and 343 firefighters perished before my eyes in the very act of service and self sacrifice to others they had not known or had ever met. I was forced to remember the photographs I had seen showing both police officers and firefighters resolutely climbing upward on the flights of stairs upon which thousands descended, fleeing from certain death and danger.

As I read the summit logbook entry, I was reminded yet again of what it means to be in Law Enforcement and why good men and women choose to lay down their lives, or why they knowingly engage in a profession where the risk of death and injury is frequently lurking around the next corner. I remembered why we had embarked on the mission of Cops on Top all those years ago; so that their memory and their sacrifice would never be forgotten. I was strengthened by the perceptions of these previous climbers, but more importantly, I was buoyed up by the knowledge that, at least for that day, the names and memories of those fallen officers were burning brightly.

Since that day on the summit of Borah's Peak, I have undertaken the opportunity to honor our fallen brothers and sisters on the highest points of several states on each September 11 that has followed. I have stood upon the sacred and hallowed earth of "Ground Zero" and at the outer wall of the Pentagon. I have been overcome with emotion inside the small rooms of the NYPD Museum at the tributes contained therein to the officers who lost their lives on 9-11.

I am particularly struck by a singular display in the NYPD Museum. A large photograph is displayed inside one case above a standard issue "Sam Brown" and its requisite attachments that define the police uniform. The photograph is of a female Sergeant of the NYPD. Calm and in control, she stands amid chaos at the base of one of the Towers, having just escorted one group of survivors from inside the Tower to safety and freedom. Moments later, this proud and professional Sergeant will turn and GO BACK INSIDE in order to further her mission of the rescue of people she does not know. It is the last known photograph of her... the Tower into which she knowingly entered collapsed a short time thereafter. The photograph of this fine example of a professional Policewoman is the epitome of the courage and bravery displayed by officers throughout our nation.

While standing before this photograph, the viewer's eyes are drawn down to the "Sam Brown" leather belt and accessories. It is then that it sinks in that the belt is the same one portrayed in the photograph. Unlike the belt shined and carefully organized which encircles the proud Sergeant in the photograph, it now lays before the viewer battered, burned, torn, and damaged by water, heat, and toxin. With heart-rending dismay, you realize that before you lies the only remains of the vibrant Sergeant. No longer just a name, or a badge number, her simple "Sam Brown" makes it resoundingly clear that she was once filled with hopes, with dreams, and with fears. This simple belt represents what was once someone's daughter, sister, mother, or perhaps wife.

As I stood before that disfigured leather belt, I defiantly vowed that, at the very least, I would never forget her sacrifice, her strength in the face of extreme adversity, and her courage and service that rose to the challenge and which had saved the lives of others during the chaos and destruction raining down around her. May her sacrifice never be forgotten. May God bless and be with her family and friends. May this Sergeant of the New York City Police Department rest in peace in the arms of a loving God. May her memory be kept shining brightly in honor and glory. May we NEVER forget.

In just a few short weeks, Cops on Top will again take to the roads and trails of America on September 11, 2008 in our annual attempt to honor not only the officers lost on 9-11, but also all of our nation's fallen police officers in all 50 States. Fresh from the Summit for Heroes, and secure in the knowledge that mid-September weather will prevent many summits from being reached, especially in the high mountains of the West, there is no doubt that we will be unable to achieve all 50 State Highpoints. Nonetheless, many teams and indeed, single officers and solo climbers, will undergo difficult and dangerous conditions to reach their summit on behalf of friends, family members, co-workers, and fallen brothers and sisters in arms. How could they otherwise? When they have the example of those we honor to drive us onward and upward, what are the minor inconveniences of cold temperatures, strong winds, steep routes, and high gasoline prices compared to the sacrifices of those on whose behalf we climb?

Please join with us in celebrating the memory and sacrifice of our fallen brothers and sisters who have given their lives in the line of duty by undertaking a memorial climb in your state. If you did not participate in the recent Summit for Heroes, this is a great opportunity to personally experience the reason why Cops on Top exists. Seize this opportunity to ensure that their sacrifice is never forgotten.

May we NEVER forget.

Lieutenant Keith McPheeters

Farmington NM Police Department

President, Cops on Top Inc.

Joining the website

TroyBacon — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:36:14 GMT

Joining the Cops on Top website is fast and easy. On the home page, select "Join" located at the top right corner of the page (or click here). You will then be taken to a page called, "Join our Community". On this page you will need to complete the required information (such as login name, password, email address, and time zone).

After submitting your request, you will be contacted by email (the one you supplied) either advising you of your membership request (approved or denied) or be asked more information. This is to verify the legitimacy of your request. Cops on Top does receive requests from time to time by visitors to the site that use fake names and email addresses to gain access to the site. Thus, their legitimacy and intentions come into question (needless to say...they are denied).

Once approved, you will be able to "Sign in" and explore the website in more detail. You will be able to receive up-to-date Cops on Top information such as upcoming events and expeditions. You will also have full use of the forums and be able to upload pictures during Cops on Top events.

Common question: Do I have to be a police officer to join?

Answer: No, anyone can join Cops on Top as long as they believe in our mission. The reason we ask if you are a law enforcement officer is because we keep track of states and departments that way we can get information out to specific states and/or departments if needed.

Hope this helps.

If you have questions, please contact Cops on Top.

A Call for Remembrance...

Keith McPheeters — Tue, 27 May 2008 06:11:11 GMT

On this coming Thursday, May 29, 2008, I will go to work as I have for the last 16+ years. I will try to accomplish as much as I can at work; sorting through the endless paperwork and deadlines, requests and demands, all while in an air conditioned office in the comfort of the Administration Office of the Farmington New Mexico Police Department. I will leave work in time to coach my son's baseball team in hopes of making up for time lost in years past and for the games I never coached for my three older daughters. After the game, I will return home to my family; tired, but satisfied and blessed.

Despite the busy day, as they all are these days, one more thing will yet lay before me on that day. For you see, it will have been ten years to the day that Officer Dale Claxton of the Cortez Colorado Police Department was gunned down by cowards in the beautiful Southwest that I call home. Officer Claxton never had the chance to come home at the end of his Shift on that fateful day, never had the chance to renew and re-vitalize in the presence of his children and family at the end of that day.

It was those thoughts that haunted both myself, and others with me, during the long search to apprehend Officer Claxton's killers. During those days of discouragement and frustration, we could not forget the image of Dale not being able to come home to his family. From those dark days was born the dream and vision of Cops on Top.

On May 29, I will bow my head in silence and remember a man I never met. I will take pride that I share a profession and calling with great men and women like Dale Claxton, who have sacrificed so fully so that others may sleep in peace and raise their children in prosperity and safety. I will pray that my fellow comrades, police officers from across this great nation and indeed, across the world, may return home that night to their loved ones. And, I will vow yet again that I will NEVER FORGET!

Unfortunately, in the ten years since Dale Claxton was forcibly removed from his loved ones and the community which he proudly served, many other officers have similarly not been able to come home to their families.

As Cops on Top celebrates its Tenth Anniversary, it is my hope that Cops on Top, the small organization that grew out of the tragedy suffered upon the Claxton Family and the Cortez Police Department, will continue to render honor to those that have been killed in the line of duty. It is my prayer that the families of our fallen friends may know of our heartfelt love for them and that we will continue to honor the memory of their loved one.

Let us never forget the humble beginnings from which Cops on Top emerged and the pain and longing that will never be filled in the hearts of those close to Dale.

I call upon all those who now find themselves considering this call for remembrance and who cannot help but consider yet again the dangers of a career in Law Enforcement and the sacrifice of so many brave and noble men and women. I call upon all of you, my brothers and sisters who share this profession, to stay alert, to stay safe, and to stay unblemished from that which would try and sully you and your uniform. Cherish every moment with your family and friends. Help us to remember those that have fallen before us in service of their fellow men. Help us to ensure that "We Will NEVER Forget!"

On June 7, 2008, Cops on Top will yet again take to the highest points in all 50 of the United States in honor of our fallen comrades. The 2008 Summit for Heroes will face many challenges, as they all have in the past, and will yet again flirt with greatness as we attempt to become the first to reach all 50 state highpoints on a single day. Some participants will be honoring a friend or coworker to whom they were very close. Others will be honoring many officers that they never knew or met. And some participants will be honoring their beloved family member that was killed in the line of duty. We invite you all to join any one of the groups or individuals making this small effort to honor the memories of those who sacrificed their lives on our behalf.

Together, we can reach the highest point of every State.

Together, we can keep the memory of our fallen friends alive and burning brightly.

May Cops on Top continue growing into the future as it has in the past. May we continue to make and keep friendships fostered by our participation in Cops on Top events. May we all enjoy health and prosperity. May we all come home to our families at the ends of our different Shifts. May we never forget.

Respectfully,

Lieutenant Keith McPheeters

Farmington, New Mexico

May 26, 2008