Freeman's goal for building GSCC Police Department: Establish trust, show transparency

Police departments generally focus on a single jurisdiction, defined by a city’s limits. Jay Freeman’s plate is much fuller. 

Freeman, Gadsden State Community College’s first police chief, and his 19-member department must cover five campuses in three counties, pretty much around the clock given that the Wallace Drive campus in Gadsden has a residence hall and there’s constant activity at all the sites.  

It’s a challenge and “takes a lot of moving parts to cover the day-to-day operations” for all those campuses, he said, but it’s something he relishes. 

“It’s an honor to be the first chief of police at Gadsden State ... and I’m excited about it,” said the law enforcement veteran, who’s been on the job since July and was officially sworn in on Sept. 29. 

Freeman has spent that time building a true police operation — the college previously just had some security personnel — from the ground up. 

He said it was crucial that the first hires were “good fits for moving this organization forward,” focusing on seasoned officers skilled at “problem-solving and developing relationships.” 

The department now has 12 full-time and seven part-time employees, with a mixture of Alabama Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission certified officers and non-sworn personnel. That’s something Freeman has not dealt with in his 16 years in law enforcement (Rainbow City Police Department 2007-2009, Southside Police Department 2009-2023). 

However, he said he’s come up with defined policies and procedures for both sworn and non-sworn officers, and for all personnel, to ensure everyone is pulling together to address issues. And he believes having a “blended department” allows them to take advantage of “established relationships already in place.” 

Everyone also is held to the same training standard, and Freeman sees training as a top priority. That’s not surprising given his background.  

He’s completed the Command Leadership and Supervisor Institutes from the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, and the FBI’s Instructor Development course. He's also an adjunct instructor at the Northeast Alabama Law Enforcement Academy and an active shooter instructor for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. 

“I bring in a different dynamic with training,” Freeman said, calling it the backbone of any police department. “I feel like we have to elevate our training programs to better serve and protect the community and these students and faculty.” 

Gadsden State’s officers recently held joint range training with the Gadsden Police Department — Freeman said the two departments have a good relationship — and plans training sessions with the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office. 

And the training won’t just involve Freeman’s department. He plans internal training for GSCC’s staff and faculty, active shooter drills and training for other potential emergency situations on campus. 

Freeman said establishing trust with the community and showing transparency are “paramount for any police department,” and he plans outreach efforts along those lines, such as women’s self-defense training. 

Given that students are involved, Freeman said his department somewhat serves the role of school resource officers, a job he held and enjoyed during his career. 

“I do feel like there is a component of that,” he said, “as far as building a bridge of trust between our department and the students. Building those relationships, I feel, is critical for the success of our department.” 

Freeman said he’s thankful for the support from school President Kathy Murphy and her staff — at his swearing-in ceremony, she praised the way he’d “hit the ground running” — nothing that he’d been able to quickly purchase a couple of law enforcement-modified Chevrolet Tahoes “that helped us tremendously.” 

He said he hopes to get more such vehicles as he continues to assemble the pieces of his department — and his basic objective for that is simple: “I’m committed to earning trust and building our department emphasizing professionalism and compassion. We’re going to do it the right way.”