Jackson, Mississippi - The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) pistol team returned with top honors last week from the National Police Shooting Championship in Albuquerque, New Mexico, according to the MDWFP.

The team won both the Semi-Auto 1500 and Revolver 1500 Conservation Team Awards, shooting in the top five percent of overall aggregate scoring. The team also placed in the President's Match and Shotgun Match.

Team Captain Jock Smith, second place winner in the High Conservation Officer Division, spoke of the team's hard work leading up to the event.

"We practice once a month during the year and weekly during the month leading up to the competition," Smith said. "This provides us with advanced firearms training, but it also allows us to promote the agency as a leader in firearms training excellence."

"This is one of the few things we can do to give the agency national and international recognition," said team member Larry Hall.

The MDWFP pistol team regularly participates in this shooting competition and has won several awards over the years.

"We're very proud of the accomplishments of our pistol team," said MDWFP Chief of Law Enforcement John Collins. "We will continue to do everything possible to support and courage them in worthwhile endeavors such as this."