VGCC Graduates 12 Law Enforcement Cadets in School’s 93rd BLET Class


Graduates of Vance-Granville Community College’s Basic Law Enforcement Training Class 93 included, front row, from left, Charles Lance-Allen Minks, Mark Dolian Harris, Murray Timothy Comly, John Wilburn Riggan IV and Everett Dean McFaddin Jr.; back row, from left, Dylan Joyner Moore, Patrick Lee Bailey, Dustin Leigh Williams, Kelvin Vander Fisher, Anthony Allen Leonard, Jason Edward Hamlett and Allen Westbrook Daniels, with law enforcement training coordinator Tony Pendergrass. (VGCC Photo)

Twelve cadets graduated on Dec. 13, 2011 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. This class, VGCC’s 93rd BLET graduating class overall, boasted a 100 percent passing rate on the exam on their first attempt.

Graduates included Charles Lance-Allen Minks of Butner Public Safety; Mark Dolian Harris of the Person County Sheriff’s Office; Murray Timothy Comly, Everett Dean McFaddin Jr. and John Wilburn Riggan IV, all of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office; Patrick Lee Bailey, Allen Westbrook Daniels, Kelvin Vander Fisher, Jason Edward Hamlett, Anthony Allen Leonard, Dylan Joyner Moore and Dustin Leigh Williams.

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 48 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 selected Captain Glen Boyd, a 31-year veteran of the Oxford Police Department and a part-time instructor for the VGCC program, to be their guest speaker. “I share a very special bond with this class, because as they begin their law enforcement careers, I end mine,” Boyd said. “I’m retiring Dec. 30, so it’s very special for me to be here today.” In his remarks, Boyd emphasized that the graduates must maintain high ethical standards as law enforcement officers.

Cadet Allen Daniels spoke on behalf of his fellow graduates. He thanked Pendergrass and all the instructors. Daniels added that it been “an honor” to train alongside his classmates.

Boyd and VGCC Director of Economic and Workforce Development Garland Elliott formally presented certificates to the graduates. Pendergrass handed out awards to the top students in the class in three categories. Harris won both the “Top Gun” Award for having the highest accuracy score in weapons firing, and the Academic Achievement Award for having the top grade average in the 36 written tests each cadet must take and pass. Moore took the Physical Training Award for scoring highest in the various fitness tests the cadets undergo. For more information on the BLET program, contact Tony Pendergrass at pendergrass@vgcc.edu.