YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — The Georgia Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) recently donated four ballistic vests to the Young Harris College Police Department. These vests, provided through the Georgia FOP’s “Protect the Protectors Program,” were presented to YHC Chief of Police Ken Henderson by John Gardner and Kevin Shrodes. Gardner and Shrodes are members of the ballistic vest committee for the Georgia FOP. The vests will be used by the YHC Police Department’s officers.
The “Protect the Protectors Program” is designed to donate ballistic vests to law enforcement agencies across Georgia, specifically to agencies with limited budgets.
“Officer safety is a very important issue to all of us in law enforcement, and the ballistic vest has been proven to save lives and reduce injuries,” said Gardner. “Every officer should wear a ballistic vest every day. The FOP is working to ensure that more officers within our state have this extra level of security.”
“Being able to present these vests to officers that I have worked with over the years is special to me,” Shrodes said. “In the world we live in now, it is extremely important that all law enforcement officers wear protective vests, and the FOP is proud to assist in that effort.”
“I would like to thank the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police for the ballistic vest donation through the ‘Protect the Protectors Program,’” said Chief Henderson. “We have been a member of the Georgia FOP for several years, and I’m very grateful for their support.”
The Georgia FOP represents more than 4,000 law enforcement members across the state and is part of the nation’s largest law enforcement organization with more than 330,000 members nationwide. The FOP is committed to improving law enforcement through education, legislation and training for its members so they can provide quality service to the public. As of this delivery, the FOP has provided 939 vests to 159 agencies.
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College has four academic divisions: Fine Arts; Humanities; Mathematics, Science and Technology; and Professional Studies. More than 1,400 students are enrolled in its residential and Early College programs. The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the prestigious Peach Belt Conference. For more information, visit yhc.edu.
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