University of Alabama law enforcement scholarship program to launch in 2023

Staff report
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May 5, 2022; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; West Alabama law enforcement officers memorialize fallen comrades throughout the history of Tuscaloosa County, and the cities of Northport and Tuscaloosa with a ceremony outside the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse Thursday. Tuscaloosa Police honor guard commander Lachlin Chronister salutes during the playing of Taps. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-The Tuscaloosa News

A new scholarship program that begins in the fall of 2023 at the University of Alabama will benefit Tuscaloosa area police officers, firefighters and their children.

UA said in a news release that the Sworn Officer Scholarship Program is an effort to recognize the efforts of those who keep the campus and surrounding areas safe for faculty, staff, students and visitors.

“An investment in public safety is an investment in our entire community,” University of Alabama President Stuart Bell said. “This scholarship program acknowledges the impact sworn officers have and shows our great appreciation for their dedication.”

The program will offer scholarships with a value of up to $2,500 each academic year to selected students. For students enrolled full time, the scholarship's value can be up to $10,000 over four years.

TAKE NOTE: Classes begin Aug. 10 in Tuscaloosa city, county schools

Sworn officers with the Tuscaloosa Police Department, Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue, Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Northport Police Department and Northport Fire Rescue and their children will be eligible for the scholarship program.

UA said that the scholarship program grew from the collaborative efforts of the university and the city of Tuscaloosa to support and honor sworn officers.

LaShonda Kemp, the city of Tuscaloosa's chief human resources officer, said one of the best features of the program is that it will create valuable educational opportunities not just for police officers and firefighters, but also for their children.

May 5, 2022; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; West Alabama law enforcement officers memorialize fallen comrades through the history of Tuscaloosa County, and the cities of Northport and Tuscaloosa with a ceremony outside the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse Thursday. Tuscaloosa Police officer Qjuambi Walker holds the TPD flag. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-The Tuscaloosa News

"This partnership with the Capstone will go a long way toward making college affordable for the families of those who spend their days in service to others,” Kemp said.

Tuscaloosa County Sheriff Ronald Abernathy said the program will provide local public safety agencies with a powerful incentive for attracting new employees.

"This also creates a recruitment tool that can be a game-changer for our community,” Abernathy said.

Northport Police Chief Gerald Burton and Northport Fire Rescue Chief Bart Marshall expressed their appreciation for the creation of the Sworn Officer Scholarship Program at UA.

"This amazing partnership will allow officers and their children to pursue their educational dreams and for this, I am thankful,” Burton said.

Marshall said, “We are grateful to the University of Alabama for establishing this scholarship and are proud to be a part of this community.”

Information about the program is available at https://scholarships.ua.edu/sworn-officer-scholarship.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: UA scholarship program for law enforcement families to launch in 2023