Royston Police Win 2nd in Governor’s Challenge and New Police Cruiser

Royston’s Police Department is the recipient of a new SUV from the Georgia Department of Highway Safety.

Royston Police Chief Donnie Boleman says he, along with some fellow officers, attended the recent annual 2014 Governor’s Challenge Awards Banquet in Macon.  Boleman said at the banquet, one of his officers was selected to try for the new vehicle.

“Royston Police Department was one of 60 applications submitted this year for the Governor’s Challenge,” Boleman said. “We were one of the top 10 selected to go on stage and try for the new car.  All 10 departments draw a key out of a hat. Corporal Nancy Root was selected to go on stage and represent the Department.  She was number seven out of those 10.”

Boleman said when Officer Root put her key into the lock and turned it, the blue lights came on.

“She turned her key and it kept going all the way around and it turned the blue lights on and we won a 2015, fully loaded Dodge Durango Patrol vehicle,” he said.

Boleman said he will be driving the vehicle initially and then it will be put into regular patrol circulation.

“We’ll utilize it as an administrative vehicle for awhile,” Boleman said. “We’re just going to be able to help our fleet. As a small agency, vehicle like this will make a huge impact with our budget and helping us with our maintenance and keeping lower mileage on our other patrol vehicles. It’s really going to make a huge impact for the City of Royston.”

Additionally, the Royston Police also won second place in the Governor’s Challenge for their division – Category 2.

“This second place award gives our Department $3,000 to use on the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety online store, which includes police equipment, clothing, patrol car equipment and safety equipment; things that can be used in the day-to-day operations of our officers,” he said.

Boleman called the second place award and the winning of the new SUV a great honor.

This is not the first time a local police force has won an SUV at the Governor’s Challenge banquet. Last year, the Lavonia Police Department won a new SUV at the Governor’s Challenge Awards banquet.

This year, the Lavonia Police came in third in their division in the Governor’s Challenge.