The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) honored the Georgia Southern University Department of Public Safety and Police Department recently, selecting them as the first place winner of the National Law Enforcement Challenge.
    GSU spokesman Christian Flathman said GSU’s Public safety and Police Department was selected from over 483 applications from similar departments nationwide.” Judged by traffic safety and law enforcement professionals, Georgia Southern University was the only institution in the state of Georgia to be recognized.” Other winners in the category included East Tennessee State University (second place) and the University of South Florida (third place).
    Most of the department’s officers met Wednesday to accept the award at the GSU Public Safety office. GSU President Brooke Keel was also there to offer congratulations.
    “This is an honor not only for you, but for Georgia Southern University,” he said. “I couldn’t be more proud.” He congratulated the officers on their hard work, integrity, and dedication while being tasked with allowing “18, 19 and 20-year-olds to be 18,19 and 20-year olds” while keeping them safe.
    “This award represents the hard work, long hours and effort that our entire team has demonstrated during the past year,” said Chief Mike Russell, who is also the public safety director. “Being selected as the best in the nation is not only a terrific honor for the department, but for the entire University and the University system of Georgia.
    “Now, everyone knows what we have known for some time,” Keel said. “Our department and public safety team is the best in the nation.”
    The award will be presented to the department during the IACP’s Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla. Oct. 26.
    Flathman said the competition was judged on the department’s “overall traffic safety programs … evaluated in three major traffic safety priorities: occupant protection, impaired driving and speeding.”
    ‘We are extremely proud of our entire public safety team and I would like to personally congratulate everyone on this outstanding award,” Keel said.