Town and Gown: A golden reason to protect and serve
2010-07-21
From the Jacksonville News July 20, 2010
Presented by Dr. Bill Meehan, JSU President
By Julie Skinner
I am proud to present this week’s column written by Julie Skinner. Julie Skinner recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication at Jacksonville State University. She works in the JSU Office of Public Relations, and plans to attend graduate school at JSU in the fall.
At Jacksonville State University, we feel fortunate to have not only a beautiful campus, but also one that is protected by some of the finest police officers at our University Police Department.
These police officers are responsible for patrolling the campus, locking and unlocking the doors to buildings each day, responding to emergency calls, solving theft reports, and that list just barely taps into all of their daily duties and responsibilities.
Elizabeth Morrow has always loved a challenge. She grew up in Rock Mills, Alabama, which is just south of Roanoke, with an older brother with whom she often competed. Back then, she enjoyed playing basketball and softball, and often watched television shows like “In the Heat of the Night,” which inspired her to become a police officer. Fast forward a few years, and that dream has come true.
“I have always wanted to help people,” Officer Morrow says.
Officer Morrow, who has been a police officer for four years, received her bachelor’s degree from Troy University. Shortly after graduation, she made her way to Northeast Alabama when she accepted a security officer position at the Center for Domestic Preparedness at McClellan. When a position opened at the University Police Department (UPD), Officer Morrow applied for the job and got it. Until recently, she was the only female police officer in the city, and she remains the only female police officer at the UPD. She recently won several gold medals while competing at the 2010 Georgia Police and Fire Games.
“I’m proud of her for competing,” UPD Chief Shawn Giddy says. “She is always pushing herself.”
Officer Morrow was the first out-of-state competitor at the Georgia Police and Fire Games; she competed there because Alabama did not have their own games this year. The games included all sorts of events, from Texas Hold ‘Em to Bass Fishing. Officer Morrow placed second in the Toughest Cop competition.
“We first had to climb up a five-story building using the stairwell, ring a bell and then come back down,” Officer Morrow says. “Then we had to push a car a known distance, run up a hill, climb through a window and shoot several targets from ten yards. After that, you had to run back down the hill and pull a dummy a distance of about fifteen feet.”
Officer Morrow won four gold medals in the track and field events, including a gold medal in the 5K run, 200 meter, 400 meter and 1600 meter dash. Running is one of Morrow’s favorite hobbies, but her interests don’t stop there.
Officer Morrow played professional football for the Alabama Renegades in Huntsville for three years as a linebacker and defensive back. She also competed at Battle of Atlanta doing North American combat fighting, which combines judo, boxing, karate and self-defense moves. She won third place.
Officer Morrow hopes to compete in the International Police and Fire Games, which will take place in 2011 in New York. They are held every two years, and involve police officers and firefighters from all over the world.
“I think the International Games would be fun,” Officer Morrow says. “I enjoy competing, but I also enjoy meeting other people at these games. To be able to go to that and meet people from other countries I think would be great.”
One thing is certain. Officer Morrow does not shy away from a challenge.
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