Nc Blet

[Loki21]

Can anyone tell me a little about the NC BLET? Such as what are the hours like, discipline level, amount of pt/defense tactics? Also, where I'm certified (Ill.) you have to be department-sponsored, is NC a state where you can pay your way to the Academy? If you around how much is it? Thanks to anyone who can help!

[jnhdrac]

It all dependson what program you attend. You can pay your way and obtain your certification through many community colleges. I do not know how much it costs, but it is probably not too bad. The PT, tactics, and overall training will vary from one program to another. Minimum standards for
pt and defensive tactics used to be not much, and many programs excede what is required by the state.

[Gibbmusic]

It's been 5 years since I've been to BLET here in NC, but I can shed some light on most of your questions.

You can find the answers to a lot of your questions by looking here:
http://www.jus.state.nc.us/NCJA/blet1.htm
It is currently 602 hours in 32 blocks. The amount of PT depends on where you take the class (i.e. which community college) but I think there are a certain amount of hours of physical training that are mandated. The big variation comes in on how strenuous the training is. The dicipline level also varies by school, some are very close to military training while others are much more laid back.

As far as sponsorship goes, in NC you have to be 'sponsored' by an accredited law enforcement agency. To be 'sponsored' doesn't mean that they pay your way, it just means they are saying that they have completed enough of a background check on you that they are willing to verify that you are eligible for BLET training. Being 'sponsored' here just means that you are attending BLET under that particular agency's name and blessing. However most of the BLET students here in NC are actually hired by various agencies before they are sent to BLET. For instance, Concord PD hired me and then sent me to BLET, they paid my tuition and gave me a salary while I was there. It makes it much easier on the student to have a steady pay coming in while going to class.

That doesn't mean that there haven't been many successful 'sponsored' students that paid their own way. Once you graduate, a lot of times the agency that sponsored you will hire you on as an employee. I hope that all makes sense to you.

Good luck to you.

Gibbmusic

[Loki21]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. I'll keep all this in mind when I move to NC (mid-july) and start the process looking for a new job there, it's just too bad my certification doesn't transfer over! I guess I'll probably hit you guys up for which is the more "laid back" of the academy, because I went to the second toughest in the state here, and I almost had to go on short term LD when I got out.

[FSW]

QUESTION: Is there a "condensed" version of BLET available for law enforcement officers from other states wanting to re-locate to N.C.?

ANSWER: Yes. However, the N.C. Training & Standards Division is the authorizing agency on this issue. Questions should be directed to 919.716.6470.

[HolyRoller]

One thing about "sponsorship"--the sponsoring department doesn't pay your way but the community college waives tuition. Same result. You do need to buy some stuff, such as books and uniforms, and do your own medical exam and drug test. Some schools make you buy some duty gear and/or your own sidearm and ammo.

At Bladen Community College we are toward the less militaristic end of the scale. It's hard to make it like West Point when you only have four students in class, as we did by the end, or three, as the current academy has had since before halfway through!

The Bladen Sheriff's Office sponsored me and I spent probably $600 on uniforms, boots, books, medical, and drug test. They issue a Glock 17 and all the ammo you need for the firearms block, or you can bring your own double-action auto, but I gave the Glock a chance and really liked it. At graduation the program listed all the students and all the instructors that had done at least one block, and when it was my turn to speak, I said don't tell the taxpayers it takes 18 instructors to make 4 officers! Looks like I'll take the oath as an auxiliary deputy with Bladen tomorrow if the chief isn't too busy.

Some departments, like Raleigh, have their own academies and won't hire new people from outside but might take laterals or experienced officers. Others, like Fayetteville, both run their own academies and hire from elsewhere. It's best of course if you can get on with a department who will pay you a salary while in BLET. Most of us just go through on faith, but if you don't have too many background problems you can find a slot somewhere. You may have to start as auxiliary, which in this state means you have the same powers and weapon carry authority as full-time, you just work part-time and usually without pay.

[AirmanE3]

What about Nags Head or New Bern? So, how does one go about getting a Sponsorship?

[utoh50]

As far as obtaining a sponsorship, all you have to do is go to the agency that you would like to be sponsored by and put in an application and usually an F-3 for sponsorship. Once that is done, the department will do a background investigation, and after you pass that they will normally grant you the sponsorship. As far as PT and defense tactics go, It varies. For example, in my academy my PT was put on by the state troopers, so there for it was pretty intense. As well as our defense tactics. I went thru a community college but their standards were alot stricter then the states requirements. On the other hand, my friends academy only met the state requirements and pretty much was a cake walk. So it really varies according to the academy. Nomatter what academy you go to, they only teach you enough defense tactics to get your tail kicked and to get you hurt. Thats not knocking the instructors by no means but there just simply isnt enough time. I would strongly suggest taking further courses in that area. I hope that I have been a help to you. GOOD LUCK!!!

[HolyRoller]

The department that sponsors you may or may not do a background check, but you will probably need to have criminal record check forms from the clerks of court in all counties where you lived in the last ten years saying that you have no record.

How I did it in my little county was, went by the police station in the county seat, and the chief happened to be outside on a smoke break. I said I need a BLET sponsorship and he said where do you live? Out in the county. Try the sheriff's office first and if they can't help you, come back and we'll see.

So I went to the sheriff's office and they just needed me to fill out a standard county employment application. A week or two later, I got a letter from the sheriff that said I'm sponsored for BLET but no background investigation has been done and no job has been offered or guaranteed.

Eventually, of course, you'll have to carefully fill out the F-3 Personal History Statement, which you can download from the Department of Justice site. You can sure go on and get started with that so you can see what questions you may have to address in your past.

[AirmanE3]

Thanks for the reply Roller, but I can't do anything yet, still in the AF for 4.5 more years!

[Loki21]

Thanks alot for the info everybody, I really appreciate it. I now have a follow up question, how hard is it to get a full-time job in NC? I'm going to be looking around the Raleigh-area, and it seems like there are seldom any job postings for full-time anywhere in NC either on here or theblueline.com. Like I said before, I'm full-time now, and I can't even imagine taking another job or being a part-time guy. Thanks again.

[ditchdiver56]

Originally Posted by Loki21

Thanks alot for the info everybody, I really appreciate it. I now have a follow up question, how hard is it to get a full-time job in NC? I'm going to be looking around the Raleigh-area, and it seems like there are seldom any job postings for full-time anywhere in NC either on here or theblueline.com. Like I said before, I'm full-time now, and I can't even imagine taking another job or being a part-time guy. Thanks again.

I've noticed a lot of agencies don't post vacancies on these sites. You should just stop by and talk to a recruiter, or call. From what I can tell (at least in the Charlotte area), there are openings almost everywhere.

[Gibbmusic]

Originally Posted by Loki21

Thanks alot for the info everybody, I really appreciate it. I now have a follow up question, how hard is it to get a full-time job in NC? I'm going to be looking around the Raleigh-area, and it seems like there are seldom any job postings for full-time anywhere in NC either on here or theblueline.com. Like I said before, I'm full-time now, and I can't even imagine taking another job or being a part-time guy. Thanks again.

Yeah, don't wait for vacancies to be posted or you'll be waiting a while. There are pretty much perpetual openings in many depts. in the state, especially here in the Charlotte area. Concord is growing too fast to keep up with officers and Charlotte-Meck PD always has turnover. Raleigh PD is usually hiring as well as Chapel Hill PD. Some of the more coveted agencies like Cary PD usually only hire a select few each year.

Instead of looking on the police job sites, try the NC job link site at www.ncjoblink.com or the NC Employment Security Commission at www.ncesc.com. I searched the job link site for 'police officer' and got over 200 matches.

Good luck to ya.

Gibbmusic

[HolyRoller]

Fayetteville is hurting for warm bodies. They're always short 30 or more officers. If you can police in Fayetteville, you can police anywhere.

While you're driving there from Raleigh, just after you change from I-40 to I-95, drop in at Dunn PD. When I went there back in September, they said GO RIGHT NOW to the city employment office down the hall and GET AN APP and TURN IT IN PROMPTLY!! Upon reflection, Dunn is a little far to go for me, so I didn't apply.

Of the five people in my BLET class from last summer that passed the state exam, one was working very soon with Burlington PD and another got hired by Robeson County SO and he's already through with FTO and on the road. The other three of us will all be with Bladen County SO. The Chief Deputy said I can come in and take the oath tomorrow morning as an auxiliary. Another guy who qualified at the range the same day I did will do the same shortly. The third is finishing up his 4-year CJ degree at UNC-Wilmington and after graduating in May he'll be full-time.

You can get a job SOMEwhere if you try.

[NC Marine]

Originally Posted by Loki21

Thanks alot for the info everybody, I really appreciate it. I now have a follow up question, how hard is it to get a full-time job in NC? I'm going to be looking around the Raleigh-area, and it seems like there are seldom any job postings for full-time anywhere in NC either on here or theblueline.com. Like I said before, I'm full-time now, and I can't even imagine taking another job or being a part-time guy. Thanks again.

Some good advice is not to rely on postings on websites as others have stated, that "may be how you did it up north" but here it is a matter of stopping by the police department to find out. Though there are postings on the web they tend to be outdated and not many agencies use it.

Yes, there are plenty of full time jobs for LE. However, many people from out of state think only Cary, Raleigh suburbs, or Charlotte are the only cities with police departments in NC. Therefore, especially around Raleigh, there are wating lists and very few openings within these departments, while other agencies are short quite a few officers. Try Kannapolis or Huntersville. Exactly where are you trying to locate to here?

[Loki21]

thanks again, all....NC Marine, I'll be moving to Durham in Mid-July or early August

[NC Marine]

Durham? Well I dont know too much about those areas. I did see that Cary PD is hiring though. Check out Greensboro, Raleigh, Winston-Salem as well. Dont forget about the Sheriff Departments.

[Dave2886]

Even though you're moving to Durham, I'd strongly recommend looking into Charlotte. We're always hiring, plus we've got the best academy in the state. The troopers academy is pretty good too, but it's a whole different kind of academy. Anyways, the reason I would recommend Charlotte, is that the training and experience you get here will make it very easy for you to lateral transfer just about anywhere else in the state. Why mess around with putting yourself through BLET, trying to get sponsored somewhere, not knowing for sure if you'll have a job when you graduate, when you can get hired with Charlotte and receive the best training in the state, and get full pay/benefits from day 1 of the academy? Do the math. Even if you hate it here, after you get a year or two of experience, there isn't a department in this state that won't hire you. We give the entrance exam once a month. Check out www.cmpd.org for more. I swear, I'm not a recruiter, and I'm not going to say that this department doesn't have it's share of problems, but which ones don't? I just think this makes the most sense for just about anyone who wants to be a cop in NC.

[NC Marine]

The only bad thing about Charlotte is it can be a drawn out application process. We had a Captain from there come to Camp Lejeune and give a test on base back in 2004. I passed it. Took time off to go back home and fill out the application packet, turned it in and felt pretty good about it. Well didnt hear anything for 2 months so I called them back and spoke with my BI and was told I needed a degree, or get BLET on my own and I would have a good shot at proceeding thru the process. I thought " you would rather have someone with a degree in anything but not a Marine Vet? " Not to mention I was told even after BLET I would still have to attend the ENTIRE academy. I was told this in October 2004. Two months later I got out of the Marines and entered BLET myself with a sponsor and graduated last June. Decided to let Charlotte know I had my certification and they asked me to come back for an interview but I declined. I got hired with a smaller city near my home.

Moral of the story is, yes you can get paid to attend, but the Charlotte academy is 6 months instead of 4. The process to get into the school can take a while and they are looking for the "perfect" candidate imo. I had a traffic accident when I was 17 and was told that was a very negative factor as well. Charlotte has no take home car program, while many of the surrounding citys do, pay is better in Charlotte but Im making 30,000 starting off right now which is competitve with Charlotte anyways. If you are looking for a big department Charlotte would be right for you.

Finally, Charlotte is a good department, but I made out fine with BLET. In the end, Charlotte may work with you better on your situation because they have the resources.

[Dave2886]

Originally Posted by NC Marine

...was told I needed a degree, or get BLET on my own and I would have a good shot at proceeding thru the process.

Moral of the story is, yes you can get paid to attend, but the Charlotte academy is 6 months instead of 4. The process to get into the school can take a while and they are looking for the "perfect" candidate imo. I had a traffic accident when I was 17 and was told that was a very negative factor as well. Charlotte has no take home car program, while many of the surrounding citys do, pay is better in Charlotte but Im making 30,000 starting off right now which is competitve with Charlotte anyways. If you are looking for a big department Charlotte would be right for you.

Pretty much anywhere you apply in law enforcement is a long, drawn-out process. I've applied to several different agencies, and I've got to say, Charlotte was definately the easiest process. Yes, it's still long and drawn-out, but not nearly as much as other places I've applied. When everything was said and done, from the day I took the test to the day I started the academy was less than a year, and I was actually hired within 6 months; I just had to wait for the next academy to start. Try finding anywhere up north that will hire you that quickly.

As far as Charlotte requiring a degree, that's completely false. You'll get 10% more salary with a 4 year, but there is absolutely no degree requirement to get hired. Whoever told you that was wrong, or perhaps there was a miscommunication. I will agree that they can be pretty picky with stuff in your background, as I know several people who would have been great recruits who were turned away, but again, most police agencies are pretty picky in their hiring practices.

No, we don't all get take-home cars, but a lot of specialized units do. k-9, swat, almost all detectives, command staff, etc. Besides, a take-home ride is overrated.

Lastly, the other thing you have to consider, when talking pay, is overtime and off duty work. I don't know what kind of off duty jobs you have out where you are, but here in Charlotte there is more off duty work than they can fill. Minimum is 23/hr, but a lot pay between 25-35/hr. It's nothing to pull in an extra 10 grand a year just working 8-10 hours extra per week, and most off duty jobs are cake. You don't actually have to do much if you're smart about which jobs you work. I've been on almost 5 years and have no degree, and last year I made about 42, plus another 7 in off duty, and I only work an average of 4-6 hours a week extra.

Bottom line, I'm not knocking guys who want to work a smaller department, or live closer to home or whatever. I'm just saying that for someone who's coming here from out-of-state, it's good to weigh all your options, and I really think it's smarter to start off in a large department like this one, and THEN transfer somewhere smaller if that's what you want.

[NC Marine]

Dave, I will say this much, Charlotte is a good department. But it all boils down to what you are looking for. A big city, is alot of people, you dont know all the officers, or citizens, lots of ground to cover. Maybe that is what you are looking for, that is good. I prefer smaller city, where you know or atleast recognize all the officers. The smaller city is easy to learn, etc. Yes, you basically have to fight others to work OT for the HS football game so that is a downfall. You dont always have the best equipment either. I tried actually to work as a reserve in Charlotte but was told you cannot be double sworn in Charlotte so I couldnt. When you gradute BLET you can choose your own department. Where Im at the application process was only a little over 2 months.There were 3 in my BLET class who applied with Charlotte but didnt get passed the civil board (guess thats what its called) so they went to BLET and now all work in Huntersville. But I did say for out of state transfers Charlotte is a better approach. Dont mean to misinform anyone about Charlotte, it was my experience about them. I was told I needed more college type education though.

[jnhdrac]

One thing to watch for when job hunting in North Carolina is basically a bait and switch on the pay. Starting pay is competitive in many departments across the state, but there is a wide discrepancy in top pay. Some departments just do not have a very high top pay. Other departments publish a competitive pay scale, but few people ever actually obtain the published salaries. One thing that definitely goes in favor of Charlotte (and several other agencies) is that you will actually reach top pay, and that top salary is a very decent one.

[FSW]

Originally Posted by jnhdrac

One thing to watch for when job hunting in North Carolina is basically a bait and switch on the pay. Starting pay is competitive in many departments across the state, but there is a wide discrepancy in top pay. Some departments just do not have a very high top pay. Other departments publish a competitive pay scale, but few people ever actually obtain the published salaries. One thing that definitely goes in favor of Charlotte (and several other agencies) is that you will actually reach top pay, and that top salary is a very decent one.

Good point, what are the other agencies?

[Gibbmusic]

Since you've heard a lot of the good points about Charlotte Meck PD, I will give you some of the bad points as well so you can make an informed decision. My best friend works for CMPD, which is adjacent to my jurisdiction.

CMPD has some policies that most of the officers there are not happy with. One of which being their pursuit policy, which is very restrictive. They can't pursue unless it's for a felony that is immediately dangerous to life (which any moron that runs 100+ mph from the police is an immediate danger to life IMO, but the policy makers disagree). Some might like this policy but I feel like it has hurt law enforcement in the area because now even more people run from police because they feel like we can't chase anymore, which increases public danger. Secondly, their Taser policy is a little weird, they have it too high up on the use of force continuum. If I'm not mistaken, they put the Taser above the baton and hard hands. In other words, you could get hemmed up if some brass feels like you would have been better off controlling the situation by punching the guy instead of using the taser, which is a much safer alternative for the officer. This may have changed, but this was the policy a while back.

Also, be prepared for the wonderful Mecklenburg County court system. In other words about 75% of the felonies you ever charge will be dismissed. Not pled down to a lesser charge...DISMISSED. Their DWI conviction rate used to be absolutely crap, but that has improved somewhat since the Charlotte Observer newspaper made the court system look really bad with an expose' on the terrible conviction rates. They are still lower than most of the other couties in the area. I think this hurts moral among LEO because why should you lock up somebody for possession of cocaine when you know there is a better chance than not that they'll walk with a dismissal?

Finally, I have to disagree with the above opinion that take home cars are overrated. This is one of the better perks of policing IMO. You save gas money, you take pride in your patrol car and take better care of it, and you don't have to ride around in somebody else's filth all night. Also it's nice to have a patrol car in your driveway when some kid in the neighborhood decides to break into cars, you can bet he'll skip your driveway.

Anyway, I'm not trying to discourage you from CMPD. I will agree that they have one of the best academies in the state and you can go pretty much anywhere from there. Their pay is higher than the state average and you have a lot of options for special assignments. There are a lot of good officers at the department that I would love to have working with me. You always have to realize that every department in the world is going to have bad points with the good ones. You just have to decide what you are looking for and what you can live with.

Good luck on your search,
Gibbmusic

[jnhdrac]

I work for Charlotte and am very happy with it. Yes, there are negatives, but overall it is a very good place to work. Other departments that I have heard good things about include Gaston County Police, Winston-Salem, Raleigh, Greensboro, Cary, and High Point. This is by no means every good job in North Carolina. Every department (or non-police) job has strengths and weaknesses. Take home cars are a nice perk, but I personally would chose a job that paid more money over one that offered the car. Ideally I would get both, but this is an imperfect world. My opinion is that a take home car does not count towards retirement, salary does.

One possible advantage of a small department in a growing community, such as Concord, Matthews, Huntersville, or many others, is that as the city and department grow you will be in a position to get special assignments or promotions. The counterpoint is that large departments have more total vacancies for those departments.

The main point is look beyond starting salary. That is important when you are looking for the job, but chose the department that will meet your financial and career wants and needs in 5, 10, or 20 years.