Basic Law Enforcement Training is an accredited program of the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education & Training Standards Commission and the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education & Training Standards Commission. Upon successful completion of this program, students may sit for the comprehensive State certification examination, which is one of the many requirements mandated by the North Carolina Administrative Code for employment as a police officer or Deputy Sheriff. The Academy is a full-time program conducted over a period of 17 weeks and consisting of 654 hours of training.

Academy Environment

•    Basic Law Enforcement Training is conducted in a Para-military environment. While many of the principles and practices of military training are utilized in BLET, the goals differ from that of the military.
•    Academic Excellence: The pass rate on the State Certification Exam since January 1991 is 99.8%. That is based on 425 Cadets passing the exam out of 426 sitting for the exam.
•    Physical Fitness & Wellness: Cadets participate in a challenging, but not impossible, program of physical activities to prepare for the rigors of the job. Activities include calisthenics, weight training, group runs, and aerobics. Combined with attention to proper diet, Cadets can expect weight loss and an improved sense of self-esteem.
•    Discipline: Survival and professional service are based upon the development of a high level of discipline. The concept of discipline encompasses learning to do what has to be done, and then doing it in an orderly, well planned, and team like manner. It includes the development of self-control, character, efficiency and dependability. With discipline comes recognition of tradition, pride, honor and duty. Disciplined officers quickly gain recognition by their superiors and become leaders in their agency.
Admission of Cadets
Applicants for admission to the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) Academy will be expected to possess those requisites for employment as a police officer or Deputy Sheriff as established by the North Carolina Administrative Code, this includes:
•    Candidates must be employed or sponsored by a police department or Sheriff’s Office, as documented on agency letterhead. Assistance in establishing sponsorship is available to qualified applicants upon request.
•    The employing or sponsoring agency must attest, through appropriate record checks, that the candidate does not possess a criminal history that would be grounds for denying certification as a law enforcement officer.  In addition, the employing or sponsoring agency must verify that no outstanding warrants exist for the applicant.
•    Candidates must be 20 years of age at the time of enrollment or have prior written authorization from the Director of the North Carolina Criminal Justice Standards Division if less than 20 years of age.
•    Applicants must provide proof of medical condition on North Carolina Training & Standards Commission forms F-1 Medical History Statement and F-2 Medical Examination Report. In addition, each applicant shall provide documentation of a negative standard employment drug screen.
•    Each candidate shall complete and submit a BLET Applicant Personal History Statement providing true, complete and accurate information documenting his or her background.
•    Candidates shall provide documentation of graduation from high school or proof of GED.
•    Candidates must be a citizen of the United States.
•    Candidates must possess a valid North Carolina Drivers license.
•    Although not currently mandated, applicants for admission to the Basic Law Enforcement Training program should possess a documented reading level at or above 10th grade.
•    Applicants should be in reasonably good physical condition, good health, and highly motivated.
Cost

North Carolina Community College System rules provide a tuition exemption for all employed law enforcement officers, including BLET applicants sponsored by a law enforcement agency or Sheriff.  This is a savings of approximately $560.00 to the individual or agency. Required books, materials, and ammunition are provided by the college at no cost to the student.  Required clothing and medical examination are the student's responsibility at an approximate cost of $350.00. 
Certification

Upon satisfactory completion of all Academy requirements and a passing score on the Commission administered state examination, the student will be eligible for probationary certification as a law enforcement officer or Deputy Sheriff.  Those graduates who complete the Academy as sponsored Cadets are now eligible for employment and probationary certification.
Police / Continuing Educational Training

Once an officer is certified by the State of North Carolina, he is required to obtain continuing educational training. There are (7) seven certain training sessions that are required annually for all North Carolina police officers. These training sessions are firearm qualifications, hazardous materials training, blood borne pathogens, Legal Updates, Career Survival, Civil Liability and Juvenile Minority Sensitivity.

The Weaverville Police Lieutenant selects certain officers to obtain a variety of select training. There are many reasons to have selected officers specially trained in certain fields. Some officers may desire the selected training, while other officers may not want to be trained in that particular field.

Many training areas do not require all officers to be trained in that particular field. There are many fields that only a certain amount of officers to be trained in these particular areas, therefore some officers on each patrol shift will maintain the certification in these selected fields.

A few of these areas would be: Intoximeter, Radar, Lidar, and Field Sobriety.  There are many more specialty training sessions, however there are far too many to mention.

There are many training sessions and agendas that officers can request from the department. Some of these training sessions may be taught several times a year in different locations throughout North Carolina. Some training may only occur annually. Some training sessions may be held only for special occasions. Some of these training agendas would include; Crime Scene investigations, Search and Seizure,etc.

Many traffic officers obtain special traffic crash courses. These courses include; Traffic Crash Scene Investigations, Technical Crash Investigator courses, Vehicle Dynamics and Traffic Crash Reconstructions and Laser Technology and Crash Zone training.

The Detective usually attends special courses that include; Homicide investigations, Blood Splatter courses, Advance Crime Scene Investigations, Tactical Team training, Search and Seizure, Interview and Interrogation techniques, Criminal Law up-dates and Fraud investigations.

Field Training and Evaluation Program

An important part of the training program is the Field Training Officer program. There is a specific program that all new hires are assigned and must complete. The Field Training Officers (FTO's) are the Street police officers that agree to train the newly hired personnel. The FTO's follow a training outline for each week that a recruit is assigned to them. With assigned weekly training, each probationary  officer will receive the assigned training during their training program, even when they are transferred to a different FTO. Each probationary officer will receive the same assigned weekly training, even when several different FTO's are used for training.

Once a probationary officer is hired, he/she will be assigned to a FTO for (9) weeks. Each probationary officer will have a minimum of two different FTO's. He/she will work with the FTO on the streets for a minimum of nine weeks, before they may start working the streets as a solo patrol officer.

If you have any questions about the Weaverville Police Training please contact:

Deputy Chief Mark Allison   (828) 645-5700