One thing Deputy Mariah West (’15) wholeheartedly believes is each person was thoughtfully created with unique skills and God-given talents, developed through their experiences and refined by their trials. Some of these talents are reserved for leisure, while others are used to shape careers. Yet, when those skills can be combined harmoniously within the different facets of a person’s life, that’s when their greater purpose can be found.
And that is exactly what West, who works for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada, has done.
By coupling her passion for art with her career in law enforcement, West has been able to bring awareness to the common struggles officers often face in the field through her graphite pencil piece titled, “Rest Now, Warrior,” currently displayed in the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, D.C., as part of the “Officers as Artists: The Creative Expression of Those Who Serve” exhibit.
Inspired to break down the stigmas demanding those in law enforcement remain strong at all times, West wanted to share the vital importance of rest through her work.
“My piece depicts the lion, a prevalent symbol in law enforcement, lying down to rest. I wanted to depict the moment the lion first rests its head and the long, heavy sigh of relief once he does. If the mighty lion is allowed to take time to rest and recuperate, so are we,” she shared.
Through the mental stressors of her career, art has become the creative outlet West uses to manage her stress and regulate her emotions in a field where she’s often unable to show weakness.
“As law enforcement officers, we are often stuck in our left brain, focusing on the analytical, sticking to the facts, not allowing ourselves to emote for the sake of ‘keeping our head straight’ in times our job calls for it,” she explained. “Art utilizes the right side of our brain which connects us to the creative and emotional side. By utilizing both sides of our brain, we are able to come down from the hypervigilant state we are trained to be in and allow our bodies to regulate itself. Taking the time to make art brings the body out of that stressful ‘flight-or-fight’ state and allows us to be present in our own lives.”
Waynesburg gave me the unique opportunity to experience service in multiple worldviews: from the eyes of a law enforcement officer and from the eyes of a community service worker. In class, I learned about how law enforcement is not just to enforce the laws but to serve the community by enforcing the law, protecting lives and preserving peace."
West’s love for art and interest in law enforcement both began at a young age. Though the trajectory of her path changed throughout the years, she ultimately settled on law enforcement, stating she wanted to “catch her own bad guys” and work her own cases, instead of working within the legal or forensic space of the law.
Her love for serving others not only led to her future in law enforcement but also her time at Waynesburg University, where she lived out the University’s mission as a Bonner Scholar.
“Waynesburg gave me the unique opportunity to experience service in multiple worldviews: from the eyes of a law enforcement officer and from the eyes of a community service worker. In class, I learned about how law enforcement is not just to enforce the laws but to serve the community by enforcing the law, protecting lives and preserving peace,” she shared. “For Bonner, I got to see and understand the personal needs of people firsthand, which I felt bettered me to understand my job and impact as a law enforcement officer.”
Despite being employed in a different state with different laws than the one she received her degree, West says Waynesburg’s Criminal Justice Administration program adequately prepared her for her future career in the field.
“Mentally, it allowed me to see the broad scope of law enforcement and the specific areas in which I could work, such as Probation and Parole, Criminal Law, Patrol, Investigations and Federal agencies,” West said, also stating receiving a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice allowed her to more quickly obtain Peace Officer’s Standards and Training (POST) credits for certification and apply for promotions sooner.
Through stories shared by Waynesburg professors like Adam Jack and direct experience in the field, West has learned both the positive impact her role as an officer has on the lives of those within the community she serves as well as the effect the stress can have on her mental state. It is through this self-awareness that she now strives to encourage others to find peace through creating.
“Art doesn’t always have to be the things we see in galleries or museums; it is a form of expression and energy release. Art can be drawing, painting, dancing, singing, wood working, sculpture, etc. And there is no degree that has to be reached for things to be considered art. Art allows us to connect with a deeper level of ourselves and in doing so, we connect to each other on a deeper level.”
As prospective students go on to discover their career interests and seek out their passions, West encourages them to use God’s leading in their lives to personalize their experiences, much like King David in the Bible.
“All of David’s experiences in his early years, both good and bad, ultimately prepared him for his role to be king,” she said. “Some of it may have seemed obscure (like being a shepherd), but God perfectly aligned David’s resume to be what Israel needed.”
And those who trust in God’s plan can do great things.
“My advice is to find something that will link your skill set with your passion or dream. Your experience and training will open doors for your future, but your character and skill set is what will propel you forward through that door and the next,” she shared. “Let your dreams point you to your future goal or career; naturally, your interests will follow. That is how you personalize a career, by letting your interests ground you in that field. Let God have your dreams and He will take you places you never would have imagined.”
The “Officers as Artists: The Creative Expression of Those Who Serve” exhibit, which features artwork from 50 active and retired law enforcement artists from across the country, will be on display in the National Law Enforcement Museum’s DuPont Gallery through August 2025.
