Unity between local law enforcement agencies in the community was the focal point of a public safety forum held Tuesday morning during a meeting of the Leadership Bulloch Alumni Association.

Hosted at The Hall and catered by 40 East Grill, the breakfast forum allowed members to hear from law enforcement leaders with Georgia Southern University Public Safety, the Statesboro Police Department and the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office.

GSU interim police Chief Laura McCullough, interim Statesboro police Chief Maj. Rob Bryan and Bulloch County sheriff's Chief Deputy Jared Akins all expressed the same sentient during their short speeches: The working relationship between all three agencies is a strong community asset.

Each spoke about the growth and current status of their departments. McCullough said her state-accredited department has 42 patrol officers and handles crime and other calls affecting about 21,00 students and 3,000 faculty and staff members on the 900-plus acre campus.

A point of pride for the department is an effort to ensure each officer and patrol car has cameras, which will enhance more than 1,500 surveillance cameras across the campus, she said.

The university plans to soon add a new position to improve student safety - an emergency management agency director, "who will work closely with Bulloch County Public Safety Director Ted Wynn," McCullough said.

Changes in law enforcement

Bryan spoke about changes in the Statesboro Police Department, also praising the relationship between the three agencies.

In spite of questions about future leadership within all three agencies - Bryan and McCullough are serving in interim positions, and Akins is seeking election as sheriff following current Sheriff Lynn Anderson's pending retirement -communication and partnership are "better than it has ever been," he said.

"Law enforcement in Bulloch County has changed," he said. But, "we've always had that great relationship. Improvement over the years has made it better and better."

The city of Statesboro has seen a marked reduction in crime over the past few years, and Bryan credits training for part of that result.

"Training ensures officers turn out the best product possible," he said, adding that officer training has increased exponentially over the past three years.

He told the group that community relationships are also important, and the Statesboro Police Department has many different community outreach efforts, including the Citizens Police Academy and Youth Police Academy. Officers attended about 220 community events in 2015, he said.

"Getting to know the needs of your community is important."

BCSO divisions

Akins, who has been chief deputy for three years, told the group most of the Sheriff's Office's costs are paid by taxes, but grants and money from seized property, as well as income from inmate concessions and communications, all help fund purchases that enable the department to ensure citizens' safety.

The divisions under the sheriff's supervision include the jail, law enforcement, court security, investigations and the Statesboro-Bulloch Crime Suppression Team. The CST is one example of how the three agencies partner: Members of the CST are made up of officers from all three agencies, and they work together to proactively reduce crime, especially drugs, he said.

All arrests in the county for the three agencies, Georgia State Patrol and other law enforcement go through the jail, which has a 475-person capacity and was almost full with 410 inmates Tuesday, he said.

The multijurisdictional cooperation results in a "tremendous partnership," he said.

"We're doing ourselves a disservice if we don't work together."

He agreed with Bryan that a "strong community partnership" is also important. Sheriff's Office representatives attend community events throughout the year and strive for "approachability," he said.

"We're not only here to help, but to also enforce the law."

The sheriff's office, with just 26 patrol deputies, covers all of Bulloch County, including 73,000 permanent residents, as well as over 21,000 students at GSU and other colleges.

Both he and Bryan addressed questions about the use of force and internal affairs investigations regarding complaints against officers that reflect the tension between and attention to officer-citizen relationships across the nation.

Akins again spoke of community relationships between law enforcement and citizens, stating that openness and accountability go a long way in keeping that relationship healthy.

Bryan said internal affair investigations are handled by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is"known for strong investigations" and will ensure fairness in any case involving police-citizen issues or complaints.

Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.