Bill Text: MS SC559 | 2015 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commend Team Mississippi for top honors in 2014 LawFit Challenge.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2015-02-10 - Enrolled Bill Signed [SC559 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2015-SC559-Enrolled.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2015 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Parker, Butler (38th), Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Lee, Massey, Montgomery, Watson
Senate Concurrent Resolution 559
(As Adopted by Senate and House)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE LAWFIT CHALLENGE FROM THE MISSISSIPPI HIGHWAY PATROL (TEAM MHP) AND THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS (TEAM WILDLIFE) FOR TAKING TOP HONORS IN THE 13TH ANNUAL LAWFIT CHALLENGE HELD IN OLIVE BRANCH, MISSISSIPPI.
WHEREAS, in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and with the mandate of Homeland Security in the United States, the health and fitness of law enforcement personnel is more important than ever. Officers are called upon to perform increasingly diverse duties in support of the military and national security personnel. A high level of fitness can be the key to both officer and citizen survival. With this in mind, the National Center for Public Safety Fitness, located on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, has established the LawFit Challenge to recognize those law enforcement officers who have proven that they are fit to serve. The National Center for Public Safety Fitness invited all law enforcement agencies from across the country to send their most fit officers to compete in the 13th Annual LawFit Challenge. This event was held on June 19, 20 and 21, 2014, in Olive Branch, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, the event included four-person teams, pairs and individual competitors. The LawFit Challenge consists of a series of six fitness and job-related competitive events: one rep maximum bench press (based on a percentage of body weight); one minute timed sit-up test; sit and reach flexibility test; pull-ups; 200 yards agility course (series of work-related obstacles); and a 1.5-mile run. These tests have been found to be good predictors of an officer's fitness for duty. Awards were given to the top five male and female competitors as well as the top five teams. Individual event winners were also recognized; and
WHEREAS, hundreds of law enforcements officers from around the country were invited to the competition. After three days of competition, it was two state agencies from Mississippi taking top honors. The Mississippi Highway Patrol placed first followed by their brothers from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, the first time in the history of the competition that two state agencies from the same state took top honors; and
WHEREAS, when the dust settled it was the four-man team of Master Sergeant Marcus Colley (Moss Point), Master Sergeant Wayne Smith (Vicksburg), TFC Ryan Buckley (Charleston) and Trooper Sedrick Jackson (Southaven) scoring 1515 points. They shattered a record that most competitors believed would never be broken. The old record of 1496 was set in 2010 by Team MHP; and
WHEREAS, this was the second year Team Wildlife has competed in the competition. After a disappointing placing in 2013, Team Captain Chris Reed employed some help from Team MHP. Both teams trained together in the Mississippi heat and the results were evident! Team Wildlife's four-man team of Lieutenant Chris Reed (Jackson), Sergeant Major Marcus Christon (Batesville), Sergeant Major Ron McMillan (Lucedale) and Private Justin Gates (Ripley) finished second and joined Team MHP as the only other team to ever score over 1475 points. That was a 200-point increase from their showing the previous year; and
WHEREAS, both teams started their domination from the beginning of the competition, with Team Wildlife striking first. Private Justin Gates took First Place in the Bench Press by pressing 211% of his body weight followed by Team MHP's TFC Ryan Buckley with 197%. It was at that moment when Team MHP and Team Wildlife became Team MISSISSIPPI!!! Team Mississippi had four members finish in the Top Ten in the Bench Press. The next event was the Situps where Team Mississippi placed three members in the Top Ten. Sergeant Major Marcus Christon led Team Mississippi by performing 65 sit-ups in one minute. The Sit & Reach event saw Team Mississippi take Top Place with Trooper John Winstead flexing 50 centimeters. Master Sergeant Wayne Smith (MHP) and Lieutenant Chris Reed (Wildlife) also finished in the Top Ten in this event; and
WHEREAS, Team Mississippi's signature event is pull-ups. Team Mississippi entered this event like a bunch of men smoking at a gas station; they were about to BLOW UP! They did just that by completely dominating the pull-ups. Team Mississippi placed seven members in the Top Eight with Private Justin Gates (Wildlife) hammering out 51, followed by Trooper Ryan Buckley with 46; and
WHEREAS, Team Mississippi had ten members finish the 1.5-mile run under ten minutes and thirty seconds. Trooper Ryan Buckley had the second fastest time of 9:01 followed by Lieutenant Chris Reed (Wildlife) with 9:06; and
WHEREAS, the last event was the 200-yard Agility Course, and Team Mississippi finished like true champions, with twelve members on the team finishing the course under one minute and fifteen seconds (1:15). Lieutenant Marcus Colley (MHP) had the second fastest time by running one minute and three seconds (1:03); and
WHEREAS, Team Mississippi won the top two spots in the four-man category, the two-man category and also won the top four spots in the individual overall placing. One hundred sixty-two officers competed in the competition and Mississippi had seven members in the Top Ten and nine in the Top Fifteen overall individual placing. Mississippi won or placed second in all six events, a milestone that had never happened in the competition's thirteen years; and
WHEREAS, Dr. David L. Bever (Founder of LawFit) was convinced that the rest of the country should follow Mississippi when it comes to being fit for duty; and it is with great pride that we pay tribute to these law enforcement officers who have brought honor to their community, their branch of service and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the participants in the LawFit Challenge from the Mississippi Highway Patrol (Team MHP) and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (Team Wildlife) for taking top honors in the 13th Annual LawFit Challenge held in Olive Branch, Mississippi, and extend the best wishes of the Legislature to these officers for future LawFit Challenge success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the members of Team Mississippi, the Commissioner of Public Safety and the Executive Director of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
