Staff Writer
Paige Wilson
Video: Diana

The Coppell Police Department is hosting their second annual police rodeo to help the families of fallen officers. The police department will work with C.O.P.S or concerns of police survivors which works and helps families of officers killed in action.
The event is center around a training to prepare officers in motorcycle driving skills. Courses are set up with cones and officers must maneuver their motorcycles around the cones. The officers receive deductions if they touch a cone, put their foot down, knock over a cone, and crash their bike.

Most officers are trained with motorcycles but, the contest atmosphere is close to the atmosphere officers experience while on the road which is high adrenaline.

“The courses put the officers under pressure and they get the adrenaline they have while on the road,” Sergeant Eric Debus said.

The high adrenaline courses help officers perform better on the road.

The event will be on March 27 and will include the police races, food, and a silent auction. The money raised during the silent auction will go the foundation C.O.P.S. The silent Auction will include prices from local businesses.

Last year the Police department raised $10,000 which went to build a memorial for the fallen officers from Coppell.

“I think this is a great way to honor the families,” senior Allison Berry said.

Families benefit so much from the events. There are families that have been with the foundation for 20 years. There will be families at the event who are with C.O.P.S.

The competitions are not just at Coppell. The some of the Coppell officers have gone to Baton Rouge and San Diego to compete.

“I was not very familiar with the organization and I feel they provide a wonderful service that not many people think about,” Shari Delmazo said.

This is the first year Delmazo worked with the police rodeo.

The rodeo will take place at Andy Brown Park and you can donate without participating in the silent auction by going to: http://www.nationalcops.org/.