Page 177 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2022

manage, or assist in managing the shifts and personnel under them.”
Marine Patrol officers go through the police academy to learn basic law enforcement procedures. However, they also receive specialized training on things like how to drive a boat and identify fish species. They also conduct search and rescue.
Moore told about a family camping on Horn Island. Somehow, their boat floated away. Fortunately, she found them and brought them back to the mainland.
“Doing a rescue is the most rewarding part of the job,” Moore emphasizes. “We assist boaters, helping them understand the many precautions they need to take before they go out on the water. Interacting with the public and having them come to the understanding of being safe on the water is very rewarding.”
On another occasion, Whittington and another officer found SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
a family paddling two kayaks in Mississippi Sound. Conditions turned rough and the small craft began taking on water. Neither the two adults nor the two children wore life jackets. One kayak held an infant. When it started going under, Jada jumped into the water and rescued the infant. The governor presented her with a lifesaving award.
Not every rescue attempt turns into a happy ending. Sometimes, a rescue becomes a body recovery.
“By far, recovering a body is one of the toughest aspects of the job,” Whittington admits. “On the brighter side, when we bring that person back, it gives the family some closure.”
From saving babies to arresting criminals, these women and their fellow officers never know what they might encounter any day, but they will take control of the situation and handle it very well.
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Daphne Moore and Jada Whittington.
We assist boaters, helping them understand the many precautions they need to take before they go out on the water. Interacting with the public and having them come to the understanding of being safe on the water is very rewarding.
– Daphne Moore