Gadsden State Community College’s Police and Public Safety Department is now equipped with a state-of-the-art safety vehicle.

Thanks to a fully grant-funded initiative, that department was awarded a Community Development Grant, that’ll allow them to purchase a Polaris Ranger NorthStar/Police Edition, a versatile vehicle designed to enhance the college’s ability to serve its campuses and surrounding communities.

That Polaris Ranger – recently announced by Gadsden State Police Chief Jay Freeman, is a “multi-purpose tool”, featuring emergency lights, siren, and off-road capabilities.  The vehicle will allow officers to navigate very rough terrains, and reach remote areas quickly, covering the college’s extensive three-county area.  Chief Freeman expressed his gratitude to Dr. Kathy Murphy, President of Gadsden State Community College – as well as local legislative delegates for their role in securing the grant.

State Senator Andrew Jones from Cherokee County with Representatives Mack Butler, Craig Lipscomb, and Mark Gidley – were all instrumental in supporting the funding effort.  “Providing a safe college campus is more important than ever in this day and time – I commend the work of the Gadsden State Police Department, and I’m happy that our legislative delegation could help to better equip them to help meet the various security challenges that the Gadsden State community faces.”

~Senator Jones

Chief Freeman also emphasized that the new vehicle would “significantly improve the department’s response times and efficiency in emergencies – ultimately enhancing both safety and security of students, faculty, staff, and surrounding communities.”