NEWS
SHERIDAN — A proposal to name Sheridan County’s highest mountain summit after fallen Sheridan Police Sgt. Nevada Krinkee failed Monday when the Sheridan County Commission deadlocked on the idea.
The 2-2 vote means the county will not send a proposed letter to U.S. Sen. John Barrasso supporting the designation of “Krinkee Peak.” The more than 11,000-foot summit in the Bighorn Mountains has no official federal name and is commonly identified only as “Sheridan County High Point.”
The vote followed emotional testimony from Krinkee’s mother and Sheridan Police Chief Travis Koltiska, both of whom supported naming the peak in his honor. But Commissioners Christi Haswell and Holly Jennings expressed concern that dedicating the county’s highest point to one individual could unintentionally overlook other Sheridan County residents who also gave their lives in service.
Their position was not a criticism of Krinkee or his sacrifice. The discussion made clear that all four commissioners respected Krinkee and recognized the enormous loss suffered by his family, the Sheridan Police Department and the community.
The disagreement centered on a more difficult question: Should such a prominent public landmark honor one fallen hero, or should it commemorate all those from Sheridan County who made the ultimate sacrifice? Haswell suggested a broader name: “Heroes Peak.”
That suggestion gained attention after the meeting, when members of the public proposed naming the summit Heroes Peak and erecting a monument there containing the names of Sheridan County’s fallen service members. Such a memorial could recognize Krinkee while also preserving the memory of the soldiers, law-enforcement officers and others from Sheridan County who died in service.
The proposal considered by commissioners originated with former Casper Police Chief Keith McPheeters, founder of Cops on Top. The organization honors law-enforcement officers killed in the line of duty by climbing mountain summits in their memory.
McPheeters climbed Sheridan County High Point in June 2025 in Krinkee’s honor. Because the summit has no official name, he later proposed making “Krinkee Peak” permanent. Sheridan County’s support was sought as part of an effort to take the proposal to Wyoming’s congressional delegation.
The draft letter presented to commissioners described the peak as a fitting tribute to Krinkee’s courage, integrity and life of service. He served eight years in the U.S. Army, including two tours in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division. He attained the rank of staff sergeant before joining the Sheridan Police Department in 2017. He was promoted to corporal in 2019 and sergeant in 2022. On Feb. 13, 2024, the 33-year-old officer was shot and killed while attempting to serve a trespass warning. He left behind his wife, Karla, and their infant daughter.
There is no question that Krinkee deserves to be remembered. The debate was over whether Sheridan County’s highest point should carry only his name when the county has produced other men and women who also left their families, answered the call of duty and never returned.
A Heroes Peak designation could resolve that concern without diminishing Krinkee’s legacy. A monument bearing the names of the fallen could make the summit more than a memorial to one man. It could become a lasting tribute to an entire tradition of sacrifice.
Because the summit is located within the Cloud Peak Wilderness, any permanent monument would require federal review and authorization. An official geographic name would also require federal action. Under the ordinary naming process, a geographic feature generally cannot be named for a person until five years after that individual’s death, although Congress could act sooner.
The commissioners’ vote did not settle what the peak will eventually be called. It merely declined to endorse one proposed name. What emerged from that decision may ultimately be a more inclusive tribute. Krinkee’s story would remain central to Heroes Peak, but it would stand alongside the stories of every Sheridan County resident who gave their lives in service.
You can watch the full discussion below: