LAURA JAMESON/THE EXPRESS Members of the Career and Technical Center’s Homeland Security class, instructor and Keystone Central School District and Clinton County officials are pictured with the police cruiser leased to the district for $1. They are, from left, Davy Azair, Zakary Rogers, instructor John Wadsworth, standing, Alyson Gold, Karmin Miller and Clara Eggler; Clinton County Sheriff Kerry Stover, Commissioner Angela Harding, CTE Director Kurt Lynch and Superintendent Dr. Francis Redmon.

MILL HALL — With a shortage of fire fighters, law enforcement officers and other emergency services personnel in Clinton County and beyond, Keystone Central School District continues to expand its Homeland Security program in the Career and Technology Center.

Recently, the district and Clinton County Government partnered to lease an out-of-commission cruiser from the sheriff’s department for $1 to help provide hands-on training for students in the program.

On Sept. 26, students from the Homeland Security program, instructor John Wadsworth and Clinton County and KCSD officials met near Central Mountain High School to officially hand over the keys to the vehicle.

Kurt Lynch, CTE director at the district, said county’s kindness offers a great asset to the program.

He noted, students who intend to take the NOCTI test for emergency response training will need to take part in a simulated traffic stop with a real cruiser. Having the former cruiser on-hand will make that process easier.

Wadsworth said the cruiser will be a great help to the Homeland Security program, which helps prepare students for careers in emergency medical services, law enforcement or firefighting.

It will also help in practicing transportation on the department of correction side of the CTE program, he said.

“This was a generous opportunity from the county to have a cruiser to work within the program,” Wadsworth said.

He noted the county, along with many other community partners, have been able to strengthen the Homeland Security program over the years.

Wadsworth said local fire companies have donated expired gear and other equipment to the program to assist in proper training.

“People have really stepped up and donated a lot to this program,” he said. “It blossomed from 19 students to 32 in grades 9 through 12.”

Five of Wadsworth’s students were on-hand when the keys were turned over on Friday afternoon.

Student Alyson Gold, who would like to become a detective, said having a cruiser to work with was exciting.

Other students on hand were Davy Azair, Karmin Miller and Clara Eggler, each with hopes to become firefighters, EMTs, detectives and other parts of the law enforcement and emergency services field following graduation.

Each wore vests and other gear that was purchased through grant funding, Wadsworth said.

Superintendent Dr. Francis Redmon described the vehicle lease from the county to the district as a “great partnership, for the county to see this resource as a way to strengthen the program.”

Redmon said the partnership is cyclical, noting many students in the program see a need for emergency services personnel in their own community. The donation of the cruiser gives them the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to go back into their community and fill those gaps.

“Some students are already qualified as EMTs through the Homeland Security program,” he said.

County Sheriff Kerry Stover said he’s spoken to students in the Homeland Security program in the past and felt this was a good use of the cruiser after it was decommissioned.

“I also want to thank Commissioner Harding for figuring out how to make this work for the county and the district,” he said. “We’re glad the school district was receptive and saw this as a good opportunity for its students.”

Commissioner Angela Harding, who helped make the connection between the county and district, said it was an honor to support the CTE students.

“We are so honored to support the students and to work with the district as they prepare their students,” Harding said.

She noted the CTE program is giving the young people in it an advantage and setting them up for careers in emergency services after graduation.

She noted the county’s hope is that these students choose to work and live in the county they’ve called home and stay in their communities to offer their skills to areas — such as firefighting, EMS and law enforcement — that are in need of assistance.