The Poarch Band of Creek Indians has donated $50,000 to Jacksonville State University’s Law Enforcement Training Center. The Tribe in a press release said the donation is part of its ongoing commitment to invest in local communities.
At the Center for Best Practices in Law Enforcement, experts focus on a wide range of areas that include mental health and wellness. In addition to providing education and training, the center also has an academic research component, providing data analysis to police departments.
Stephanie A. Bryan is the Tribal Chair and CEO of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. In an online statement, she said the Tribe is proud to support the University and the Center for Best Practices in Law Enforcement.
“Like so many other folks in Alabama, our Tribe’s home is in a very rural part of the state,” Bryan said in a press release. “We understand the many, and serious, challenges that law enforcement officers face every day, and we also recognize the financial challenges around providing them with adequate and ongoing training, especially in small towns and remote parts of the state.”
The Tribe has contributed $550,000 in total since the University’s inception of the center.
“We have supported Jacksonville State’s efforts to address these issues for several years, and we applaud its Center for Best Practices in Law Enforcement for taking a leadership role in training officers who are so important to the safety and security of our communities,” Bryan said in a press release.
JSU President Don C. Killingsworth Jr. thanked the Tribe for supporting the college's pursuits.
“Jacksonville State aspires to be known as the training capitol of law enforcement for the State of Alabama,” Killingsworth Jr. said in an online statement. “We have provided continuing education and training to approximately 5,000 law enforcement officers statewide since establishing the center in 2017, which would not have been possible without the generosity of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. We would like to thank the Tribe for supporting our mission to provide Alabama the best trained law enforcement in the country.”
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized tribe in Alabama. The Tribe operates in a variety of industries around the world, including hospitality and aerospace.