{"id":24223,"date":"2024-12-27T12:05:08","date_gmt":"2024-12-27T19:05:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/a-big-family-cortez-police-officers-remember-sgt-michael-moran-a-year-after-his-death\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T04:50:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:50:10","slug":"a-big-family-cortez-police-officers-remember-sgt-michael-moran-a-year-after-his-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/a-big-family-cortez-police-officers-remember-sgt-michael-moran-a-year-after-his-death\/","title":{"rendered":"A big family: Cortez police officers remember Sgt. Michael Moran a year after his death"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The
The body of Cortez Police Department, Sgt. Michael Moran, is escorted on Dec., 6, 2023, in a procession of hundreds of law enforcement vehicles down Main Street to the Cortez Recreation Center for his funeral. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

More than a year after Sgt. Michael Moran was ambushed and killed during a routine traffic stop in Cortez, the community and fellow law enforcement officers continue to remember and honor him.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s apparent in things like the Mike\u2019s March event in November, and how, a week or so after that, the entire Cortez Police Department was outfitted with rifle-rated, bulletproof vests.<\/p>\n

At last year\u2019s Four Corners Board of Realtors Parade of Lights, police and community members\u2019 cars spanned almost six blocks, painted with memorial messages like, \u201cRest in Peace.\u201d And, more recently, the police department posthumously awarded him a Purple Heart and Medal of Honor, which his daughters accepted on his behalf.<\/p>\n

\"The
The late Cortez Police Sgt. Michael Moran. (Journal file photo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Sgt.
Sgt. Michael Moran and Otto. (Courtesy photo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s surprising to me how much he impacted the community. I know he\u2019d been here for a while, but I don\u2019t think it\u2019s common knowledge among most community members how much interaction cops have with the community and how people remember who they are,\u201d said Jenny Bashore, the dispatcher who was in the car with Moran the day he was killed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI only had the privilege to work with him for a couple of months but, you know, his murder was clearly,\u201d Bashore paused. \u201cIt was felt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moran, 46, first joined the Cortez Police Department in 2012. Before that, he served as a Marine for nine years, including two tours in Iraq. In 2016, he became a K-9 officer and started working with his German shepherd counterpart, Otto.<\/p>\n

After a tragedy like this, \u201cYou realize how much the public stands behind us. It\u2019s really amazing,\u201d said Interim Police Chief Andy Brock.<\/p>\n

\"Interim
Interim Police Chief Andy Brock. (Courtesy photo)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cEverybody\u2019s outlook is a little bit different,\u201d he said, \u201cand the family within the department is a little bit different.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sense of family in the department has been a constant.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a big family,\u201d said Patrol Sgt. Vance Carver. \u201cIt\u2019s been like that before Mike got shot, it\u2019s been like that after Mike got shot. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s changed too much of anything within the department other than bringing us all closer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Patrol
Patrol Sgt. Vance Carver. (Courtesy photo)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

And so, although some things are undoubtedly different, most of the officers who spoke with The Journal<\/em> agreed the tragedy brought everyone together \u2013 a positive from what Brock called a \u201chorrible, negative thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Mike played an important role in everyone\u2019s life, even after he passed away,\u201d said Lt. Rogelio Maynard. \u201cWe weren\u2019t in a great place before Mike passed away, and since then, I think morale has increased.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"About
About 300 people took part in a candlelight vigil for Cortez Police Department officer Sgt. Michael Moran on Nov, 30, 2023, in front of the CPD building. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Maynard said they\u2019ve since learned to leave the \u201csilly, petty stuff behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Lt.
Lt. Rogelio Maynard (Courtesy photo)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cIt sucks we had to lose someone like Mike for that to happen, but I\u2019m just happy that we decided to grow from it,\u201d Maynard said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, it\u2019s funny how he was able to make us get over his own death by being who he was. I don\u2019t really know how to explain that,\u201d said Detective Shane Fletcher.<\/p>\n

\"Detective
Detective Shane Fletcher (Courtesy photo)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Fletcher said that, when Moran first died, \u201cthe sadness kind of brought everyone together. A lot of us had never been through something like that. It was the worst day of a lot of our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some staff at the police department had been through something like that.<\/p>\n

Rex Brinkerhoff, a property technician at the department, remembered when Dale Claxton was killed on duty more than 25 years ago.<\/p>\n

When that happened, it took a decade to catch the people who killed him.<\/p>\n

\"Police
Police vehicles spanned for over five blocks along Main Street, Cortez, in honor of fallen officer Sgt. Michael Moran.<\/span>Matthew Tangeman<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cFor years, we\u2019d wonder if they were out there still, if it was done,\u201d Brinkerhoff said.<\/p>\n

He said he\u2019s thankful there was a sense of closure after Moran\u2019s death and that \u201cwe weren\u2019t looking for somebody, sending people into Utah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Rex
Rex Brinkerhoff (Courtesy photo)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

But even with that sense of closure, it was no less tragic to lose Moran.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you as a group experience something like that, it\u2019ll either make you or break you,\u201d said Brinkenhoff. \u201cIn this case, I think it\u2019s brought a lot of the guys closer.\u201d<\/p>\n

While reflecting on his own habits in the wake of such an experience, Brinkenhoff said, \u201cI\u2019m a grudge holder \u2013 I\u2019ll admit it \u2013 but you learn to, you know, say your piece and move on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maynard emphasized that sentiment and reflected on his own interpersonal relationships and what it means to maintain them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve learned not to take relationships for granted,\u201d he said. \u201cI try to get along with everyone because you don\u2019t know \u2026 when someone\u2019s last day is.\u201d And so he said he works \u201con keeping relationships since we lost Mike.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Sgt.
Sgt. Michael Moran\u2019s two daughters, Katalina (left) and Novelynn, accept the Purple Heart and Medal of Honor, which were posthumously awarded to Moran at the Dec. 10 City Council meeting. (Aaron Lewis\/Special to The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

While some, like Brinkenhoff and Maynard, were reminded of the value of relationships when Moran died, others seem to have embodied some of his qualities.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing I loved about Mike is he had our backs no matter what,\u201d Carver said.<\/p>\n

In that regard, he was \u201clike a brother or sister, where no matter what happens, he was there to back you up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if you were right or wrong, he\u2019d have your back and then talk to you about it later if you were wrong,\u201d he added. \u201cHe was just that kind of person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, after Moran\u2019s death, Carver said that when he\u2019s on duty, he makes it a point to back people up.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn anything I can make it to, I\u2019ll always be there. That\u2019s one thing that kind of haunts me is, like I said, I was just right down the road when he got shot,\u201d said Carver. \u201cWe heard Mike on a traffic stop and then he got shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

He felt \u201csurvivor\u2019s guilt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think everything happened the way it was supposed to that day, so I\u2019ve kind of moved past it in mourning,\u201d he said. \u201cBut definitely, I\u2019m not going to be sitting there whenever I could be backing up one of my brothers or sisters in the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bashore recalled that day in Moran\u2019s squad car, and said the last thing Moran said to her before conducting the traffic stop that killed him was, \u201cStay put.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the last things he was thinking of was my safety,\u201d said Bashore. \u201cI believe he knew something was off with the driver even though he didn\u2019t verbalize it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat moment sticks in my head,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

To help law enforcement officers, dispatch and even their families and the greater community after Moran died, a lot of groups stepped forward to offer counseling-type services and helping hands.<\/p>\n

Chaplain Dave Guy, who\u2019s been with the Cortez Police Department for about 29 years, leads a group of 12 people trained to help those who experienced something traumatic, cope with it. It\u2019s called the Critical Incident Stress Management Team.<\/p>\n

\"Chaplain
Chaplain Dave Guy (Courtesy photo)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cFirst we addressed the people who were on the scene, but the rings of influence go out from there,\u201d Guy said.<\/p>\n

The seven debriefings the team held after Moran\u2019s death started with the police department and dispatch, and rippled out to include hospital workers and citizens, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cOfficers and people can get through traumatic things. But pictures, sounds and the emotional response can take years to address,\u201d said Guy. \u201cSo that\u2019s what the team is for: It helps them talk through the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The team also offers \u201ctools and ways to address the reality of what they saw and heard,\u201d though what they do isn\u2019t therapy, Guy said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s more about hearing stories and finding solidarity among people who have a shared, traumatic experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to be someone they can come to when they need it,\u201d said Chaplain Todd Erlandson, who does this work with Chaplain Guy. \u201cThe role of a chaplain is to be a person that\u2019s there for them when they need help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Chaplain
Chaplain Todd Erlandson (Courtesy photo)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Lately, instead of waiting around for someone in the department to approach them, Erlandson said they\u2019ve been proactive: \u201cNow, we\u2019re asking how they\u2019re doing instead of waiting for them to come to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the kind of proactive attitude Detective Lt. Angelo Martinez remembers Moran having.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember Mike as being a go-getter, a good guy,\u201d said Martinez. \u201cHe was a super good guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Detective
Detective Lt. Angelo Martinez. (Courtesy photo)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cMike definitely didn\u2019t like to sit around,\u201d said Maynard with a smile. \u201cHe was the one that liked to go out, and everyone just followed along with him. Mike was out there, everyone else was out there, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maynard added that Moran liked to hold people accountable, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich is a good thing, I think. In law enforcement in general, I think we all should be accountable, and Mike did a really good job at holding us all to that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was really smart, really intuitive. It almost felt like he was reading you without you saying anything, which is I think what made him a good cop,\u201d said Bashore \u201cHe was funny, mostly easygoing, and a really easy guy to talk to.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said the morning he died, he went on a call. \u201cIt really impressed me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a complaint. Somebody was having a problem with her son, her teenage son,\u201d said Bashore. \u201cHe patiently sat and listened to her. In my opinion, he was being more of a therapist than a cop and it was \u2026. He handled her with grace and mercy and calm to deescalate her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bashore said she and Moran had been on the same shift for a month before he died.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe he was a bright light in the department,\u201d said Bashore. \u201cPeople who might struggle to fit in found a friend in him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The
The funeral precession of Cortez Police Department, Sgt. Michael Moran, passes under a flag that the Cortez Fire Protection District placed on Dec., 6, 2023, in Cortez. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Lori Johnson, the dispatch supervisor, said she didn\u2019t realize how close so many of the dispatchers were with Moran; he frequently worked nights, though, and \u201chad the opportunity to sit and visit with them, and build strong friendships.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Mike was one of those guys you could trust with your secrets,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n

\"Lori
Lori Johnson. (Courtesy photo)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

She added that \u201cMike didn\u2019t smile a lot. So when he smiled, it was a good thing- especially during day shift.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fletcher also remembered Moran as \u201cgrumpy,\u201d too, but also as \u201cone of the best to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever you needed, he\u2019d help you out with it. He\u2019d stay late for you,\u201d said Fletcher. \u201cHe did stay late just to hang out with everybody long after his shift.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was a great guy; \u201cnobody\u2019s going to tell you different,\u201d Carver said.<\/p>\n

So even though it\u2019s been more than a year now, \u201ceveryone is still pretty impacted. It still feels pretty raw,\u201d said Bashore. \u201cIt feels like the longest and shortest year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A
A memorial for Dale Claxton (Courtesy photo)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

department agrees it is closer now than ever before<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24224,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[28,29],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-24223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-headlines","tag-newsletter"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24223"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78446,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24223\/revisions\/78446"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24223"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=24223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}