VGCC graduates 12 Law Enforcement Cadets in School’s 96th BLET Class
Twelve cadets graduated on May 14 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 are authorized to work in any law enforcement agency in North Carolina.
Graduates of VGCC’s 96th BLET class included James Alan Vercoe of Butner Public Safety; Keith Antwon Alston of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; Lindsay Ann Green of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office; Kimberly Meshea Alston of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office; Sean Grant Newton of the coming Vance-Granville Community College Police Department and VGCC’s Director of Public Safety & Preparedness; Altesha Teshea Allen, Shane Derek Chiari, Keith Daniel Goodwin, Jeffery Bryant Lester, Dean Michael McDowell, Jason Alan Tate and Charles Dustin Vaughan.
In welcoming remarks, Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of VGCC, said, “When I think of community colleges, the public services come to the forefront of my mind because those programs really connect us to our community.” She commended the graduates as well as the program’s faculty and staff for creating a BLET program that is “the best of the state.” 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.
Graduates selected Trooper Michael L. Potts of the North Carolina Highway Patrol to be their guest speaker. A Creedmoor resident, Potts has been a state trooper since 2001 and previously served with the Durham County Sheriff’s Office. Earlier this year, he was seriously wounded in the line of duty during a traffic stop in Durham. “I was shot five times,” Potts told the graduates. “I thought I was going to die that day…There’s only one reason I’m here today and that’s because God wants me here. He’s not done with me yet.” He emphasized the routine nature of the work that preceded the incident, saying he thought it was going to be “just a seat belt ticket, but you never know what’s behind a seat belt ticket, so use all your training at all times.” Potts said it was an honor to address the graduating students, and he hoped to work alongside all of them in the future. Cadet Keith Goodwin, the class leader, spoke on behalf of his fellow graduates. He thanked Pendergrass and all the program’s instructors. Of the class, Goodwin said, “We started out as strangers, and we ended as family. I am confident that all of these cadets will represent the law enforcement community well.”
Pendergrass handed out awards to the top students in the class in three categories. Tate earned both the Physical Training Award for scoring highest in the various fitness tests the cadets undergo, and the “Top Gun” Award for having the highest accuracy score in weapons firing. Newton took home the Academic Achievement Award for having the top grade average in the written tests each cadet must pass. For more information on the BLET program, contact Tony Pendergrass at pendergrass@vgcc.edu .
Above: On front row, from left, VGCC Basic Law Enforcement Training Class 96 graduates James Alan Vercoe, Sean Grant Newton, Keith Antwon Alston, Kimberly Meshea Alston, Dean Michael McDowell and Lindsay Ann Green. On back row, from left, law enforcement training coordinator Tony Pendergrass with graduates Shane Derek Chiari, Charles Dustin Vaughan, Jeffery Bryant Lester, Altesha Teshea Allen, Jason Alan Tate, and Keith Daniel Goodwin. (VGCC Photo)
