As a show of collaboration and connection between law enforcement and students, the Campus Police Department (CPD) donated a golf cart on Monday to the New College Student Alliance (NCSA). It will be a tremendous resource for members of the College’s student government, which plays a fundamental role in helping improve the student experience on campus.
“We’re glad to be able to help the NCSA. CPD officers utilize the golf carts as a form of patrol, so we know the benefits of having that mode of transportation when on campus,” CPD Sgt. Kelley Masten said. “The battery-operated cart provides a fuel-efficient mode of transportation for the NCSA, and the donation is another example of the collaborative relationship that the CPD fosters with the community.”
The CPD, led by Chief Michael Kessie, serves and protects New College, the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee and the greater Sarasota-Manatee community. In March, Kessie and his team ordered a golf cart from Custom Carts of Sarasota (the CPD’s regular vendor), and it was delivered to campus on Friday. The vehicle cost about $1,300 and was outfitted with long-lasting lithium batteries.
Officers with the CPD navigate New College on foot and bikes, as well as in golf carts and patrol vehicles. They know the value of getting from one end of campus to another swiftly and efficiently via various modes of transportation. Golf carts are ideal for student tours, especially when traveling all the way from the western bayfront campus to the residence halls on the eastern Pei campus.
“Why not give a golf cart to the students to use?,” Kessie said. “I think it builds a little bit of a bridge between us and the students. We’re constantly trying to keep communication open and work with them, and this is a good way of showing that.”
NCSA President Sofia Lombardi looks forward to this new student vehicle.
“The NCSA is very grateful that Campus Police has donated this golf cart to our department,” Lombardi said. “This will be a great resource for all students to utilize in their efforts to support the campus community, most notably our composting team.”
Kessie wants to remind New College students to continue to reach out to him and his colleagues, and to always know: “We’re here for the students. We hope this shows the students how much we think and care about them, and that we make decisions with the community in mind.”
For more information on the CPD, call 941-487-4210 or visit ncf.edu/police.
Abby Weingarten is the senior editor in the Office of Communications & Marketing.