Baton Rouge police officer pays tribute to injured officer during training on the Coast

D'IBERVILLE, MS (WLOX) - More than 100 police officers from across Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama are on the Mississippi Gulf Coast this week taking part in a rare training opportunity. The motorcycle patrol training is designed to give police officers real life experience.

"One of the greatest things you have to do as a police officer is to be able to perform and operate under a great deal of stress," said Jackson Police Department Cpl. Mark Hodges.

This week in D'Iberville the stress is created by an obstacle course and it's a rare opportunity for the officers to receive training for situations that could happen at any time.

"Any officer can go down at any time, somebody can be on the cell phone and decide they want to pull out of the processional for any reason or somebody cut them off in traffic. And so they will have the ability, the knowledge and the experience to avoid that incident and go home to their family at the end of their shift," said Hodges.

Along with the training, it's a chance for the officers to catch up and have fun.

"It's just a huge brotherhood and we're all brothers and we treat each other like that. And also we get to ride motorcycles and train. What more could you want?" asked East Baton Rouge Central Police Officer Chad Dupuy.

Dupuy serves with the East Baton Rouge Central Police Department and he uses times like this to remember the three fallen Baton Rouge Police officers who were killed in the line of duty last summer. He also pays tribute to his friend Nick Tullier, who was shot during the ambush, but is still living and recovering in a Houston hospital after doctors gave him a slim chance to live eleven months ago.

"Here we are to this day right now he's still alive," Dupuy said. "He's taken steps, he's writing messages, just the other day he spoke and got the word out hello. It's a total miracle."

As Dupuy rides, he rides for Tullier to spread his message of hope and asks for continued prayers.

"We want to let people know that Nick is still fighting," Dupuy said.

You can find more information on how to help Tullier on the Nick Tullier Strong Facebook page.

This week's motorcycle training is sponsored by the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Association and continues through Thursday when the officers take part in a skills exhibition ride.

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