Gadsden State, Gadsden police departments sign mutual aid agreement

Gadsden State Community College’s fledgling police department and the Gadsden Police Department will now have each other’s backs following the signing Thursday of a memorandum of understanding between the law enforcement agencies.

According to the city and the college, the mutual aid agreement lays the groundwork for coordinated responses between the departments.

They will “share resources, expertise and information,” a news release from GSCC said, “to enhance public safety and emergency response capabilities.”

“There may, God forbid, come that occasion when we all need to be working together for … some incident that has occurred on our campus,” school President Kathy Murphy said during the ceremony held  at City Hall.

Murphy told Mayor Craig Ford, “And likewise … should you ever need us, we stand ready to serve.”

Ford called it an example of “working together,” adding, “It’s about the little things that make a difference because the little things turn into the big things.”

He noted GSCC’s importance to the city as far as industrial recruitment and workforce development. The city and the school are also partnering to build a sports complex on college property.

GSCC Police Chief Jay Freeman described the agreement as “a significant step toward building a safer and more secure community.” He said it was a meaningful day for the college and his department “to know that we’re able to pool resources,” and that knowing the city “is going to be standing by our side is huge for us.”

Freeman said it’s not merely a question of pooling resources,  but of building “a stronger, more resilient Gadsden,” and that working together the departments could help “maintain peace and security” and “respond more effectively to any challenges that might arise.”

Gadsden Police Chief Lamar Jaggears said, “We’re grateful to be able to continue to work with Gadsden State. We’ve always had a good working relationship with Gadsden State, and I don’t see any reason why that won’t continue.”

Gadsden State launched its police department, which serves all five of the school’s campuses (Wallace Drive, East Broad and Valley Street in Gadsden; Ayers in Anniston; and Cherokee in Centre), in 2023.

Freeman was named chief in May. He had been at the Southside Police Department for 14 years, serving as captain of investigations before taking the GSCC job, and also had worked in Rainbow City and Ohatchee.

The GSCC department has 12 full-time and seen part-time personnel, including certified law enforcement officers and security officers.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Police departments' accord will increase safety, Gadsden leaders say