Photo by News Mississippi
The Mississippi Highway Patrol, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the National Rifle Association is hosting the 2019 NRA National Police Shooting Championships at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officer’s Training Academy in Pearl. The competition started on Monday and will continue until September 25th.
The competition has been a shooting tradition since 1962 and the NPSC is open to public and private law enforcement officers and select law enforcement members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The three-day event attracts hundreds of law enforcement professionals representing local, state and federal agencies from the United States and across the globe, uniting them to realistically test law enforcement shooting skills, requiring competitors to start with guns holstered and fire timed matches, from multiple positions and distances. officers to practice and enhance their firearm skills via competition.
“We believe that competition is a direct extension of training, and this competitive event allows us to further assist the law enforcement professionals who dedicate their lives to ensuring our safety, ” said NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre. We proudly welcome law enforcement officers from across the country and around the world to join us again in Pearl for this challenging tradition.”
State leaders including Governor Phil Bryant, Lt. Governor Tate Reeves, State Treasurer Lynn Fitch and Speaker of the House Philip Gunn welcomed the law enforcement participants to the event and said they were grateful for their service to America.
“Mississippi is proud to host the 2019 NRA National Police Shooting Championships and excited to show what our great state has to offer to the hundreds of law enforcement officers that will be in the Magnolia State,” Gov. Bryant said. “These men and women put their lives on the line each day to protect and serve and are the best marksmen from around the country. We look forward to a wonderful event.”
Bryant said this marks the start of a five-year agreement with the NRA to hold the competition which includes representatives from three different nations and almost every state in the U.S. The Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy (MLEOTA) sits on 243 acres in Rankin County and has the range facilities equal to the task of hosting the NPSC.
“MLEOTA is a warm and welcoming environment for any and all law enforcement officers traveling to Mississippi not only for the competition but also the networking and fellowship that take place while determining which officer and departments win the championship,” said Retired Mississippi Highway Patrol Lieutenant Colonel Pat Cronin, eleven-time Team NRA Champion.
The competition is conducted by the NRA Law Enforcement Division and encourages officers to practice and enhance their firearm skills via competition.
“The Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy is nationally recognized as one of the top premier law enforcement academies in the country,” said Colonel Chris Gillard, Director of the Mississippi Highway Patrol. “This academy has produced several National LawFit and National Pistol Champions. It is an honor and privilege to be selected to host such a prestigious event.”
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