Deadline to Enter Next Law Enforcement Academy Approaching

GOLDSBORO, NC - Wayne Community College is looking for people who care for their communities to become law enforcement officers.

They have to want to “work for the greater good of the community and in service of others,” said Wayne Community College Public Service Dean Angie Blizzard. “If you want to see the change, be the change.” WCC’s Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program has produced close to 1,200 graduates since its program started in 1983. The college’s graduates work for 53 different agencies in North Carolina and more elsewhere. Agencies are clamoring for more officers. “There is a need in every department in our county and even the big cities,” Blizzard said. “There are jobs and they are good-paying jobs.” Total cost for the program, including books and uniform, is $2,500. Financial aid and scholarships are available, and as Mayhew found, BLET can be covered by VA benefits. One option is the scholarship that the City of Goldsboro is providing for Goldsboro or Wayne County residents with financial need who plan to pursue a career with Goldsboro Police Department. More information about the scholarship and the application can be found at police.goldsboronc.gov/police-department/become-a-police-officer/. BLET is also one of the programs included in the Foundation of Wayne Community College’s “Top 14” scholarship. Go to www.waynecc.edu/foundation/scholarships/ to get information about Foundation scholarships and the application. Blizzard said she understands that there can be complications and finances don’t always come together. “If they want to come to school, I’ll make it happen,” she said. The college offers two academies – a day school and an evening school – each year. The fall academy starts in August and runs through December. Classes are held 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. The spring academy runs January through July and is held 6-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday and some Saturdays. “It is just four months to a job or a career change,” Blizzard said of the fall academy. The program is currently accepting applications for the 2022 fall academy, which begins Aug. 16. Those applications are due by July 25. Application packets are available in Room 103 of the Pine Building on the college’s main campus in Goldsboro or can be mailed upon request. To be accepted into the program, applicants must be 20 years old, a citizen of the United States, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and have a North Carolina driver’s license, as well as meet other requirements. The full list is available on the BLET website. Blizzard encouraged those who are considering a career in law enforcement to come to the campus and talk to her or BLET Coordinator John Anderson. She can be reached at asblizzard@waynecc.edu or 919-739-6801. Anderson’s contact information is jranderson@waynecc.edu or 919-739-6798. For more information about the WCC BLET program, go to www.waynecc.edu/blet.