State Troopers "guarding" GA Head Coach (Athens-Clarke County, Boston: crime, public schools)

[neil0311]

OK...I know college football is a religion here in Georgia, but with GSP putting troopers on furlough and with crime and traffic issues in general, I need to ask the following questions.

1 - Who is paying? Taxpayers or UGA?

2 - Why does a head coach of a college football team need 2 bodyguards, and if he needs bodyguards, why do they need to be uniformed State Troopers?

[Dart03]

Originally Posted by neil0311

OK...I know college football is a religion here in Georgia, but with GSP putting troopers on furlough and with crime and traffic issues in general, I need to ask the following questions.

1 - Who is paying? Taxpayers or UGA?

2 - Why does a head coach of a college football team need 2 bodyguards, and if he needs bodyguards, why do they need to be uniformed State Troopers?

Good question. I know that the coach is paid not from the taxpayers but through the funding they receive from the football program..that is what i was told by a college employee who had asked the Chancellor why the football coaches were not being furloughed, while the rest of the University system employees were. Maybe the security budget for the games is paid for through all the money the football program receives.

It looks like the UGA Campus police would be able to provide the security for the coach, but I can understand the UGA Campus Police and Athens-Clarke County Police not being able to handle the security all by themselves, since they are dealing with tens of thousands of fans, so they would need GSP support.

I do know that all the College games I have watched, the coaches have State Troopers with them. So its just not Georgia!

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by Dart03

I do know that all the College games I have watched, the coaches have State Troopers with them. So its just not Georgia!

Yeah, I have seen it too, but AFAIK only in southern states. The head coach at GA Tech has Troopers with him as well.

I guess I still am not clear on why do college football coaches need State Troopers to "guard" them, either in GA or elsewhere. Are there threats against them that pro head coaches like Mike Smith don't face? What about Bobby Cox? Does he need an escort?

Is this some kind of old tradition at southern schools? It definitely was not the case at northern schools like Boston College and Syracuse.

[Chadro77]

To my knowledge, they are not being paid by the state while working games. It's a tradition, and usually is a very prestigious job amongst Troopers. I think the schools usually will cover meals, lodging and transportation for the Troopers though.

[enigmaingr]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Is this some kind of old tradition at southern schools? It definitely was not the case at northern schools like Boston College and Syracuse.

Come to Michigan, Penn State, or any other school in the Big Ten and you'll see Troopers with the coaches. You may not see it at a place like Boston College because college football isn't as big of a deal in the New England.

Most university PDs would be hard pressed to handle the crowds that come to games in some locations so state police presence is essential. Plus, a lot of people don't realize that most state constitutions specify which schools are true state institutions...it's not just all public schools within the state. My state, for example, lists just three even though we have like 10 public universities. I think any tradition of having state Troopers at games for those schools may stem from that.

[brettk]

Actually just read this on AJC:

"The UGA Athletic Association pays all expenses, including salaries, for security at the games, which includes the Georgia State Patrol officers who accompany coach Mark Richt and GBI agents who provide additional police force needs. In fiscal year 2009, it paid about $132,500 to the UGA Police Department, which hires the additional security, and $55,500 to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, according to the athletic association."

Q: Who pays the expenses, including salaries, for the Georgia State Patrol officers and GBI agents at University of Georgia football games? *| ajc.com

[ne georgia]

State Troopers at the Georgia game....I love this one!



YouTube - UGA vs USC 2009 / LOOK AT THE GEORGIA STATE PATROL. HILARIOUS!

[Radley]

Let's just hope Georgia doesn't lose to Georgia Tech again this year.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by Radley

Let's just hope Georgia doesn't lose to Georgia Tech again this year.

Sorry, I think this year (again) the Bulldogs are going down.