VGCC Graduates 19 Law Enforcement Cadets in School’s 89th BLET Class
Nineteen cadets graduated June 2 from the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) course at Vance-Granville Community College in a ceremony held in the Civic Center on Main Campus. After passing the state certification exam, all 19 are authorized to work in any law enforcement agency in North Carolina.
Graduates of VGCC’s 89th BLET class included Brad Aaron Knutson of Butner Public Safety; Kiel Dickens Gunter, Bobby Carl Martin and Christy Kay Smith, all of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; Chad Edward Higgs and Daniel S. Tillotson, both of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office; David Allen Elliott and Darryl Lamont Ragland, both of the Henderson Police Department; Andrew Thomas Partin of N.C. Parks & Recreation (Kerr Lake); Michael Wayne Clark of the Person County Sheriff’s Office; Matthew Neil Benfer, Christopher David Blalock, Christopher Earl Lynch and Anthony Charles Martin, all of the Roxboro Police Department; Joseph Lee Henderson of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office; John Paul Taylor of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office; Jason Lee Grainger, Jeremy Nicolas Montejano and Kevin Roger Stanley.
Tony Pendergrass, the VGCC coordinator of law enforcement training, praised the class for completing 624 hours of grueling training over 16 weeks. Pendergrass also thanked the 45 instructors who helped train the class, the local sheriffs, chiefs of police and administrators who support the program, and the families and friends who supported and encouraged the students.
BLET students chose First Sgt. Harry Upchurch of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, a 19-year veteran law enforcement officer who served as a guest lecturer during training, to be their speaker for the graduation ceremony. He recalled General Douglas MacArthur’s famous “Duty, Honor, Country” speech, and Upchurch chose to focus upon “duty,” the quality which the general said “builds basic character.” He offered historical examples of people selflessly doing their duty. “It is the performance of your duty that will make your career,” Upchurch said. “I challenge you to do whatever duty commands.” Cadet Anthony Martin spoke on behalf of his fellow graduates, praising their instructors and the “ever-lasting bond” students had formed. “During the academy, there were no deputies or police officers, we were just Class 89 — one team, one win, one fight,” Martin said.
Upchurch and Greg Hughes, a VGCC law enforcement/corrections instructor, presented certificates to the graduates. Pendergrass handed out awards to the top students in the class in three categories. Lynch won the “Top Gun” Award for having the highest accuracy score in weapons firing. Anthony Martin took the Physical Training Award for scoring highest in the various fitness tests the cadets undergo. Knutson was presented with the Academic Achievement Award for having the top grade average in the 35 written tests each cadet must take and pass. For more information on the BLET program , contact Tony Pendergrass .
Above: Graduates of Vance-Granville Community College’s Basic Law Enforcement Training Class 89, included, front row, from left, Matthew Neil Benfer, Christopher David Blalock, Michael Wayne Clark, David Allen Elliott, Jason Lee Grainger, Kiel Dickens Gunter and Joseph Lee Henderson; middle row, from left, Chad Edward Higgs, Brad Aaron Knutson, Christopher Earl Lynch, Anthony Charles Martin, Bobby Carl Martin, Jeremy Nicolas Montejano and Andrew Thomas Partin; back row, from left, Darryl Lamont Ragland, Christy Kay Smith, Kevin Roger Stanley and John Paul Taylor, with law enforcement training coordinator Tony Pendergrass. Not pictured: Daniel S. Tillotson. (VGCC Photo)
