Highly Decorated Utah Deputy Talks To Green Country Law Enforcement

A highly decorated sheriff's deputy who was shot several times during a drug raid in Ogden, Utah, was in Pryor, talking to local officers and deputies about how to protect themselves.

Retired Lieutenant Nate Hutchinson was shot five times while pulling other officers out of the house after they'd been shot.

He hopes by sharing his story, he can help other officers keep themselves safe.

Hutchison said January 4, 2012, was the worst day of his life.

"My unit was ambushed and six of us were shot, and my friend Jared Francom, kind of a brother to me, he ended up losing his life," said Hutchinson.

The deputies were serving what they thought was a low-level warrant for a marijuana grow farm in an empty house. There, the deputies found the suspect hiding, and he started firing at officers.

Hutchinson dragged several officers out of the house to safety, all while being shot by the suspect.

He said one of the things that saved him was his training.

"You've got to train correctly,” said Hutchinson. “You've got to train properly because your training is going to kick in. I really want them to take away that there is not a routine day in law enforcement. You do this job day after day, and for us it's just another Wednesday, like it was on this particular day, until all of a sudden, it's not."

Matt Ballard, the District Attorney for District 12, said hearing from someone who’s been through the worst situation, can only help today's law enforcement.

"Lieutenant Hutchinson has just such a tremendous story to tell, and it's something that needs to be told in law enforcement,” said Ballard. “It's so important that the people who have been through incidents like he's been through, they're able to share their story and to provide that training, provide that education to others."

Hutchinson wants to tell his story because it keeps the memory alive of his friend who was killed.

"I hope that something positive can come out of this horrific incident,” said Hutchinson. “And if it helps one person, if it helps one police officer down the road, then that's totally worth traveling and coming out here and teaching."

Since the attack, Hutchinson has been honored with the State And Local Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Award.