NGCSU police dept. gets state grant

DAHLONEGA - North Georgia College & State University's police department has received a state grant to buy additional equipment and help educate other officers across the Georgia mountains region.

NGCSU Police Chief Mike Stapleton said a portion of the $10,000 grant from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety will go toward equipment for his 12-person force.

"We're getting another radar unit, and alka [alcohol] sensors, and then also some visibility stuff for directing traffic and doing safety checks," said Stapleton.

He said the university police force also will use part of the grant to educate officers not just at NGCSU, but also those who work for other small police departments that comprise the Appalachian Trail Traffic Enforcement Network.

The university will host a May meeting for those officers as a kick-off for Georgia's "Click It or Ticket" program for the summer.