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Induction Information

Induction Information

Nomination Guidelines

Purpose and Mission Statement:  The Gulf Cost State College (GCSC) Public Safety Hall of Fame recognizes and honors all public safety personnel (law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians/paramedics, corrections officers, and communications personnel) who put their lives on the line and/or who provide direct support for the safety and protection of Florida’s citizens and visitors in Bay, Gulf, and Franklin counties.

In April of each year, inductees will be added to the hall, and their accomplishments will be scribed on a plaque in the GCSC Public Safety Hall of Fame, located in the main entry of the Public Safety and Emergency Operations Center building at GCSC’s North Bay Campus.

Nomination Process:  Gulf Coast State College is privileged to establish the Public Safety Hall of Fame to honor contributions made to Bay, Gulf, and Franklin counties by these exceptional individuals. This is a tribute to their unselfish dedication and commitment to the safety of all lives in the communities that they serve.  It is also noteworthy to offer appreciation to these individuals who contribute to the advancement and support of the public safety field. The nominating associations are encouraged to nominate professionals committed to public safety who demonstrate extraordinary work, service and/or exemplary accomplishments.

Public safety personnel are defined as any law enforcement officer, fire services personnel, emergency medical services personnel, correctional officers, and communications personnel, whose primary roles are to contribute to the field of public safety through direct action or support of the agency’s primary goals and functions. This definition includes all supervisory and command personnel whose duties include, in whole or in part the supervision, training, guidance, and management responsibilities of full-time, part-time, or auxiliary (volunteer) personnel but does not include support personnel whose primary functions do not directly contribute to the agency’s public safety responsibilities.

GSCS will award a maximum of 8 nominations annually. The following agencies/organizations in Bay, Gulf, and Franklin counties are permitted to submit up to three nominations for consideration each year per career field:

  • Law enforcement (this includes municipal police and sheriff’s offices);
  • Fire service (full-time and volunteer);
  • Emergency Medical Service (emergency medical technicians and/or paramedics);
  • Correctional officers (city, county, and state facilities); and
  • Communications personnel (dispatchers)

Nomination Material: Please read the attached information and guidelines thoroughly. Only those nominations submitted and completed in their entirety will be considered. A checklist of required documentation is provided in this packet. Completed nomination packets with supporting materials (four copies) should be mailed and postmarked no later than February 15.

Active, retired, or deceased public safety personnel who have served with any of the approved agencies in Bay, Gulf, and Franklin counties;

Exhibited excellent character within the line of duty and to the community for which he/she served (excellent character means the officer has exhibited good moral character); and

Be of good reputation among peers and in the community served.
  1. Nomination packets will be accepted for two months of the calendar year (July 1 - August 31). Incomplete nominations will NOT be considered. All nomination forms must be postmarked on or before February 15.
  2. Complete nomination packets include nomination form and supporting materials to include:
    1. Summary of nominee’s professional history (Required);
    2. Summary of civic contributions and/or humanitarian activities. Describe the nominee’s service to the community, state, and/or nation. Include information pertaining to community involvement in crime prevention, charitable activities, and civic organizations (4 pages maximum); (Required)
    3. Written documentation describing why nominee should be selected to include description of their contributions to public safety(2 pages maximum): (Required)
    4. List of awards and honors; (Required)
    5. Agency/department photo; (Required)
    6. Proof of the nominee’s outstanding performance, actions, accomplishments, and character (e.g. any professional acts of excellence above and beyond minimum standards). Examples include letters of recommendation, official reports, statements, newspaper article(s), and/or other media archive historical references (Required); and any anecdotal information for consideration.
  3. One person per nomination.
  4. If nominee is not chosen for induction, the association may re-nominate the individual the following year through the submission of a new nomination packet.
  5. Nomination packets and attachments become property of GCSC Public Safety Hall of Fame and will not be returned.
  6. All material provided to the Selection Committee is public record and subject to disclosure upon request pursuant to Chapter 119, F.S. Please do not submit information of a confidential or personal nature that should not be published. Redactions pursuant to Chapter 119, F.S., will be made to nomination paperwork as appropriate.
  7. Only the nominator will be notified if the nominee is not selected.
  8. Nominations postmarked after February 15 will not be considered.

GCSC will accept a maximum of three nominations per year from each agency/facility.  The selection process will begin after all nomination packets have been received. Upon receipt of the nominations, GCSC will:

  1. Review the submitted packets for accuracy and completeness pursuant to Part B; and
  2. Verify nominees meet the eligibility requirements pursuant to Part A.
The GCSC Public Safety Hall of Fame Selection Committee will be comprised of an employee representing each of the public safety fields, the Public Safety Division Chair, and a representative of the college’s administration. Upon verification of the nominations by GCSC, the committee shall deliberate and select a list of no more than eight nominees (maximum of two from each discipline) each calendar year. The selection committee reserves the right to change the rules and regulations through the rule promulgation process.
Each person selected for induction, or next of kin if the officer is deceased, will be notified of the selection in writing and receive a formal invitation to attend the induction ceremony. The official announcement of the inductees will be made in March of each year. The induction ceremony will be held in April, during the District Board of Trustees meeting.
Gulf Coast State College does not discriminate against any person in its programs, activities, policies or procedures on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, marital status, religion, age, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. All questions or inquiries regarding compliance with laws relating to non-discrimination and all complaints regarding sexual misconduct or discrimination, may be directed to Lee Wood, Executive Director, Human Resources/Title II/504/Title IX Coordinator and Employment Equity Officer, Gulf Coast State College, 5230 W. US Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401.