Author: Laura Hourigan
On Thursday, December 15, State Capitol Police Class-1 cadets graduated from the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) Academy offered through Wake Technical Community College located in Raleigh, NC. The six cadets are the first full-time candidates to be sponsored by State Capitol Police.
“I’m just so proud that DPS was able to allow us to make this happen,” said State Capitol Police Chief Chip Hawley.
The cadets began their journey in July and endured the rigorous BLET program, which includes 768 hours of training. North Carolina cadets are also required to pass the Police Officers Physical Ability Test (POPAT), a timed series of search and rescue, physical agility and mental alertness drills.
“They go through driving training, firearms training, physical fitness, a legal block, traffic techniques, nighttime training and officer survival,” said Joe Bright, BLET coordinator Wake Technical Community College. “We also offer some things that they don’t offer from just Basic Law Enforcement Training. So they go out with a little bit more than other community colleges may offer.”
The 32 cadets received their certificates in front of a standing-room only crowd of family, friends and guests, including North Carolina Department of Public Safety Secretary Eddie Buffaloe Jr. It was the largest class of BLET graduates in 15 years. The next round of BLET training begins in January.
“We’re looking at next year already,” said Hawley. “We have about five recruits that want to come on board and let us hire them and go through the academy. We are really looking forward to this being a continuous thing for State Capitol Police moving forward.”
Find out more about joining the State Capitol Police.
More photos from the event: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAk8dX
