RCC Basic Law Enforcement Training Program Graduates 12 Cadets

Hamlet, NC - November 4, 2011

Twelve cadets completed the rigorous 702-hour Basic Law Enforcement Training program at Richmond Community College. They attended graduation ceremonies Thursday night at the Cole Auditorium on the RCC campus. Pictured are: (Front row, l to r) Cadets Tiffini Jenks, Dustin Clark, Matthew Lee, Brandon West, Brandon Cribb, Evan Carville, and Jonathan Hough. (Second row, l to r) Cadets Franklin Smith, Donald Smith, BLET Coordinator Billy Kelly, BLET Qualified Assistant Scott Waters, Cadets Arlando Robinson, William Lunceford, and Shaun Dwyer.

Richmond Community College Basic Law Enforcement Training Director Major Billy Kelly presents the academic excellence and firearms excellence awards to BLET graduate and Richmond County Sheriff's Deputy Arlando Robinson during graduation ceremonies held Thursday night at the Cole Auditorium.

Graduation ceremonies for the Basic Law Enforcement Training program at Richmond Community College followed eight intense months of class. Twelve cadets completed the program and received their diplomas Thursday night at the Cole Auditorium.

"That first night, as we glanced around the room sizing up our competition, we were blind to the fact that we would soon become dependent upon one another. On that cool March day, this evening in November was merely a dream that we all set out to turn into reality," said 2011 Class Cadet Spokesman Dustin Clark of Maxton.

Clark said after completing several of the 35 blocks of instruction, they felt they were already experienced police officers because they could conduct criminal investigations and follow up with proper paperwork. Then physical training began and tested their strength and endurance. He credits the instructors for giving them the encouragement they needed to complete the program.

In preparation for a state exam that qualifies them for employment in law enforcement, they studied arrest techniques, search and seizure processes, and criminal law. Clark said time spent on the firing and driving ranges was fun and challenging. He thanked family and friends who supported them over the long months and expressed the class' appreciation to BLET Coordinator Major Billy Kelly and BLET Qualified Assistant Scott Waters for their leadership of the program.

Hamlet Police Chief John Haywood was the keynote speaker and told the graduates their education should not end here. He said most of their instructors had bachelor's degrees. An alumnus of RCC, he outlined his own educational and career path filled with degrees and certifications from advanced training.

"Training and education is a priority in this line of work. Thirty years ago, young people often went into law enforcement directly out of high school or after serving in the Armed Forces. The town manager would hand them a gun and a badge and simply tell them to go enforce the law. They learned on the job and from experienced officers who mentored them. You have the best of both worlds and have had some of the finest training in the state," said Haywood.

Haywood told the graduates to safeguard their integrity and to be aware a silent smile still bridges gaps with the toughest of tightlipped suspects. In outlining the roles they would be playing, he included those of counselor, healer, recovery expert, and life saver. In the next few months, they will respond to everything from barking dogs and shots fired to locked vehicles and loose livestock. Throughout it all, it will be their duty to protect, detect, defend, and deter.

Rockingham Detective Donovan Young spoke on behalf of the BLET instructors and reinforced Haywood's call for lifelong education.

"Time marches on, but progress doesn't. You have to push progress. Getting a degree will be easier if you come back and get it now. If you can finish this, you can do well in getting further education," he said.

Awards were presented to Arlando Robinson of Hamlet for having the best performance on the firing range and for having the highest grade point average. Jonathan Hough of Lilesville received an award for having the best performance on the Police Officers Physical Abilities test. William Lunceford of Hamlet was chosen by his peers and instructors for being the best overall cadet and going beyond what was required.

Graduates are: Evan Carville and Tiffini Jenks of Rockingham; Dustin Clark, Matthew Lee, Franklin Smith, and Brandon West of Maxton; Brandon Cribb of Laurel Hill; Shaun Dwyer and Donald Smith of Laurinburg; Jonathan Hough of Liles; and William Lunceford and Arlando Robinson of Hamlet.

While most of the graduates are looking for employment, Arlando Robinson was newly employed with the Richmond County Sheriff's Department when he started the program and Franklin Smith has just been employed by the Rockingham Police Department. Robinson called himself "the oldest rat in the barn" and said the program was extremely challenging. Smith, who comes from a family of law enforcement officers, said he wouldn't have wanted to take the program anywhere else.