Michelle Escamilla has a way with kids.

Whether someone is dealing with a breakup or is angry because they got in trouble in class, the school resource officer at Eaglecrest High School is always willing to lend a hand and get someone back on track. 

Escamilla’s desire to help people began at a young age. Her father was an Aurora police officer. Her passion for law enforcement grew and eventually she decided she wanted to earn a badge of her own. 

“I always bragged about my dad and talked about wanting to be just like him and be a cop,” Escamilla said. “He was like Superman to me and that feeling made me want to be just like him.”

Escamilla is an Arapahoe County sheriff’s deputy, but her path to achieving her goal was anything but linear.

“I’ve been a stay-at-home mom, an author and now work for the Sheriff’s Office. Did I think I’d ever join law enforcement? Yes, but not on a path like this,” Escamilla said. 

She began pursuing a career in law enforcement after she decided the traditional four-year college wasn’t for her. She soon became pregnant with her first child, Diego, and after several conversations with her then-husband, she decided to push her dream to the side and focus on raising their child. 

Those responsibilities doubled when she had her second child, Kaya. 

“She really worked hard at teaching her children all the basic skills they needed to start school,” said Suzy Hahle, Escamilla’s mother. “She was there all day every day with them and really helped them flourish.”

After several years of being a full-time mom, Escamilla wondered if there was something else she could do while raising her kids. She said she’d always loved to write and so she decided to write a book. 

Initially meant to be a hobby, writing grew into something more as Escamilla’s friends and family encouraged her to continue writing and get something published. 

“I thought writing is really enjoyable and something I loved to do,” Escamilla said. “So I went for it.”

Escamilla’s friend proof-read her book and then she submitted it to several publishers.

Limitless Publishing agreed to publish her book and asked her to write more novels, Escamilla said.

Escamilla got to work and typed endlessly. At times, it was overwhelming, but she said her mom gave her endless support and kept her on track. 

“My mom was my biggest fan and really my biggest line of support,” Escamilla said. “Even today she still tells people I’m a published author.”

By the end of 2015,  Escamilla had five books published — three paranormal thrillers and two romantic comedies: “Wishful Thinking,” “Careful What You Wish For,” “Dark Secret,” “Wicked Spell” and “Spellbound.” 

Although Escamilla began writing books as a hobby, she never imagined anyone actually reading her stories or enjoying them. Even to this day, she smiles after hearing positive feedback.

“I get a really big grin,” Escamilla said. “I become (amazed) by it and honestly I’m still in disbelief.” 

Despite being published, Escamilla still dreamed of working in law enforcement. She applied to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office in 2016 and was hired as a jail guard in 2016. 

Three years later, Escamilla decided to go to Colorado’s law enforcement academy, which she said was six months of hell.

“Those were the most grueling six months of my life,” Escamilla said. “I lost a lot of weight because you’re stressed, so you don’t eat and you run several miles a day, you get pepper sprayed, tased, but I finished and graduated.” 

After graduation, Escamilla was assigned to the patrol unit, but right when she was getting in the swing of things, the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

Even as the virus spread, Escamilla still responded to calls, and her colleagues took notice of her ability to connect with children in crisis. 

“They were like, ‘You know how to talk to the kids and you’d be really impactful as a school resource officer,'” Escamilla said. “So I applied.”

James Mason, a fellow school resource officer at Eaglecrest, said Escamilla has a knack for working with children.

“Michelle is real with them and doesn’t sugarcoat things,” Mason said. “She just does the small things that get kids, even the disrespectful ones, to listen to her.”

Escamilla said she believes she’s able to connect with students easily because she’s a mother herself. 

Although Escamilla has enjoyed walking the halls of her former stomping ground, she will not return next fall. She’s decided to move back to patrol. She said she made the decision to best align her schedule with her children.

But she said there is always a possibility that she could return to being a school resource officer. 

“This has been such a great opportunity to learn and I’ve learned so much about juvenile stuff that my mind can’t even wrap around everything,” she said. “I’m excited to be returning to patrol, but I’ll never forget my time at Eaglecrest.”