You never know where Lt. Ralph Smith will pop up. Could be that he pops up in YOUR next photograph. Could be that he pops up at a regional motorcycle competition in some other state. Could be that he pops up at a national K9 competition. Could be that he pops up at a TCAP drug search. Could be that he pops up at a prison riot somewhere. Could be that he pops up in Washington, D.C. at the national fallen officers memorial. Could be that he pops up at a benefit for one of his guys. He has a tremendous amount of responsibility in coordinating the motorcycles, TCAP, K9’s, and the SOG team. Next time you see Ralph, be sure to ask him what happens to that darn rattlesnake under a bush hog… Or you can ask him how to bury a bunch of chickens in a coop when the power fails…(beware, this one’s a very animated story)! If it’s true that a picture paints a thousand words, then you haven’t “talked” to Ralph Smith lately!!! Could be that he just pops up where you least expect him - when you least expect him! You see, Ralph Smith is one of those guys who just seems to be everywhere. So the next time you take a photograph, look very closely… Lt. Ralph Smith might be hidden somewhere in your picture, too!

Recently, the ENTIRE Gazzo clan took a family vacation to beautiful, tropical, romantic, exotic, peaceful Cancun. On the far right in this picture, is retired Trooper Joe Gazzo, Sr. (a rare photo of Joe as he is usually the one behind the camera!). We’re told that because the Gazzo clan - which consists of children, their spouses, and all the grandkids - had so many people in their party, they had to rent a school bus to shuttle around Cancun. Wait that’s not all… when they booked their flight down, it took two planes to carry them all. Would you be surprised if we told you that they qualified for group rates when they booked their hotel rooms - which by the way took up two entire floors! In the very middle of the picture is Trooper Jason Gazzo. Jason was not really on vacation. Sources down in Cancun tell us that he was learning the art of photography from his dad, and was the other mastermind behind skulling up this trip. Don’t let Jason tell you he was on vacation. We now know that he was doing undercover work for the Highway Patrol - or was that underwater? You can’t help but wonder if the extreme “skulling” talents of Joe, Sr., were responsible for some excellent deals down in Cancun. Roomer has it that he continued his “skulling” abilities while there and now even may own Cancun! (For those of you who don’t know what “skulling” is, well, how can I possibly explain that concept. Suffice it to say, it’s a time honored tradition that every trooper must learn to master efficiently before graduating from trooper school.) So you can’t help but ask the rhetorical question - if Joe Gazzo, Sr., does in fact now OWN Cancun, could Cancun ever be the same?

They’ve been dubbed Shooter One and Shooter Two. We’re not sure how these nicknames came to be. Are these two troopers (Carr and Harrington) on the S.W.A.T. team? Not! Are they on the pistol team? Not! Their uniforms tell us that they are on the Honor Guard. Hmmm, do they carry the rifles on the Honor Guard? Not sure about that one. So, one must wonder where the nicknames of Shooter One and Shooter Two come from… If you think you know the answer, share it with those who need to know (and yes, I’m on a need to know basis). Also, they were part of a larger team (Miley, Goodin, Carr, Harrington, J. Johnson, Blackmon, Seale, and R. Daniels) that went to Washington D.C. recently to compete in our first national Honor Guard competition while also paying tribute to Mississippi’s fallen law enforcement officers! On behalf of all troopers, thanks to the Honor Guard for representing your fellow troopers, fellow law enforcement officers, and for making your state very proud of your performance.

If you or someone you know has done something spectacular, funny, brave, or just down-right interesting, please email your story and photographs. We’re looking for a trooper from somewhere in Mississippi who fits this description. It could be a “routine” traffic stop that resulted in a major arrest, a huge drug bust, or something you may have done interesting while you were 10-8. Maybe you shot the biggest deer ever, and you actually have a picture to prove it! Show it off on the showcase! If you have any interesting “excuses” that people have given you in an attempt to get out of a speeding ticket - SEND THOSE TO US. Your spot on our “Trooper Showcase” fame feature is waiting for you and your stories. So come on, send in those stories.