Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

It's been five years since that Friday night when my life changed forever, and Mark lost his. Lots of tragedies have occurred since then, but none will cause us to forget the night that Mark died.
More important, we will remember how Mark lived, and try to do as well with the time we have left, as he did with his. When we are comfortable and safe, it is easy to forget that there is a battle raging between good and evil, and evil rarely rests. Mark was truly at the forefront, and gave his life, his whole life, to the battle so that good might prevail.
There is a lot of talk about "Heroes" right now with the Sept. 11 Terrorist Attack Anniversary upon us. There were many who lost their lives on that date last year, some of them giving their last breaths nobely and selflessly trying to help others. But none were more heroic in their everyday lives than Mark.
Getting shot and killed doesn't make someone a hero. However, living your life the right way, like Mark did, and being willing to fight and die for righteousness, like Mark was, certainly does qualify you to be a Hero in my book.
After all the hurt, anger, tears, frustration and pain, there is hope, love, happiness, and peace. We will never forget, and we will carry on the fight, as long as we are able. May God continue to bless Mark's family. They can truly be proud of him, his life, and his service. He, in turn, is surely proud of them.

Sergeant Ron Winegar
Boise Police Department

There is not a day that passes that I don't wonder if there was something that I could have done different, that would have stopped Mark from being killed that night. Even after five years I can replay the stop in detail. I have resolved myself to the fact that we all knew the risks involved in being police officers and we all accepted them without question. It has to be God's plan as to how things ended that night but it will never be a resolution I will understand. It was my pleasure working with Mark as well as the other officers involved in this incident. I know Mark as well as all the other officers on this department would accept the continual challenge of what it takes to overcome the evil of those who choose to break the laws. It is with that knowledge and resolution that I will hold true to those beliefs in memory of our fallen brother Mark.

Det. D W Rogers
Boise Police Dept.

Cheryl and Family, It does not seem like 5 years have gone by since this horrible tragedy. I know you are doing well. I want you to know you are still with us in our hearts and prayers. Please come down and see us more often and bring your dad. God Bless You.

Det. Dave Smith
Boise Police Dept.

I met Mark when I taught a class to new officers. Mark stayed after the class to ask questions and he told me about his former department. Within a few months, I became the case officer of his homicide. I learned more about him in death than in life as is usually the case in a homicide investigation. What I learned was what a remarkable man he was. He was a family man that had dedicated his life to what was/is important, God, his family and serving others. He lived his faith and lived his life touching everyone, seemingly, that he met. Not one person had a bad thing to say about him.

His family was remarkable too. His wife Cheryl was like a rock, firmly rooted in her faith. Their combined families were inspirational and helped me and the other surviving officers far more than we did them.

May God Bless you all.

Det. Greg Morgan
BPD

I had the honor of working with Mark both in Custody and in Patrol, during the time that Mark was a Deputy Sheriff with the LASD.

Mark was my radio car partner on and off for about six months after he made it off Patrol Training.

Mark was the type of person that was the first to ask if you needed help. and the hardest to roll on back up/assistance requests.

After the LA Riots, he and his family made the decision to move out of LA, and move to Idaho. Over the years, I lost touch with my old partner.

It was with great sadness that I returned from vacation to find out that my old partner had been murdered. Because I had been out of state, my partners had not been able to track me down to tell me about his death. I did not even get to go to the funeral in order to say a final farewell to my friend.

As is often repeated on these pages, take the chance NOW to tell your loved ones how much you love and care for them.

Goodbye my friend, rest in peace

Deputy Joseph Abercromby
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept

I KNEW MARK STALL ALMOST MY WHOLE LIFE. HE WAS A MAN THAT I LOOKED UP TO AND SOMEONE I ASPIRED TO BE. I ATTENDED THE SAME CHURCH THAT MARK DID, UNTIL HE LEFT TO GO TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO FOLLOW HIS DREAM, TO BE A POLICE OFFICER! OUR FAMILIES LIVED JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM ONE ANOTHER AND I CAN REMEMBER MARK STOPPING BY TO PICK UP MY TWIN BROTHER AND I TO GO GET SOME ICE CREAM. MARK WAS THE KINDEST MAN YOU COULD EVER MEET, THERE ARE TOO MANY GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT HIM AND NOT ENOUGH TIME OR ROOM IN THIS PAGE TO WRITE THEM ALL.
IT'S TRUE THAT I HAD OLDER BROTHERS GROWING UP BUT I'LL ALWAYS LOOK AT MARK STALL AS A BROTHER OR MINE. I KNOW MARK WAS A GOOD OFFICER AND I HOPE TO BE AS GOOD AS HE WAS WHEN I GRADUATE THE ACADEMY (DEC. 21, 2001).
MARK, I MISS YOU AND TOOK FOR GRANTED ALL THE TIMES I GOT TO SEE YOU WHEN PASSING YOUR PARENTS HOUSE. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN A BETTER PLACE NOW AND WOULD NEVER WANT TO PULL YOU FROM THERE.
DONT WORRY BROTHER, I'LL STAND YOUR WATCH AND MAKE SURE THE STREETS REMAIN SAFE.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY FALLEN BROTHER IN BLUE,
TRAVIS BARKER

P.S. STEVE IS NOW A COP, A GREAT COP, AND I KNOW THAT HE THINKS OF YOU OFTEN. WATCH OVER HIM TILL I CAN BE OUT THERE COVERING HIS BACK.

CADET TRAVIS BARKER
NON-AFFILIATE