National Police Shooting Championships begin today

More than 400 law enforcement officers will be converging on Albuquerque for the 47th annual National Police Shooting Championships.

The National Rifle Assn.-hosted event takes place today through Thursday and draws officers from federal, state, municipal and private agencies as well as foreign countries.

Using real law enforcement shooting skills, competitors start with their weapons holstered and will fire timed matches with both revolvers and semiautomatic pistols from varying positions and distances.

The combined scores from the matches will be used to crown a national champion.

Competing this year will be defending champion Robert Vadasz, a U.S. Border Patrol senior agent, as well as nine-time tournament champion Capt. Philip Hemphill of the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

"The National Police Shooting Championship is a gathering of the finest law enforcement shooters from around the world," NRA President Ron Schmeits said in a news release. "There is no better place for these everyday heroes to test their skills than right here in New Mexico."

-- Kelly Burgess

Image courtesy of NPSC/NRA

Comments

[Danielle Sturgis]

Thanks for the shout out. Feel free to follow along at www.NRAblog.com, and let me know if you have any questions.

We will have the 2009 National Police Shooting Champion by Wednesday afternoon. Vadasz and Hemphill are already neck and neck!