HAMLET— Ten students graduated Aug. 9 from Richmond Community College’s Detention Officer Certification Course and will enter a new career in law enforcement.

The Detention Officer Certification Course developed by the North Carolina Justice Academy is a mandated 174-hour course that takes approximately five weeks to complete and concludes with a comprehensive written exam. Upon successful completion of the course, the new detention officer will be eligible to be certified as a detention officer in North Carolina.

Graduating from the program were Luke A. Carter of Raeford, Donald F. Flowers of Raeford, Joshua R. Haley of Rockingham, Antonio Henderson of Albermarle, Stacey L. Hunt of Lumberton, Vivian E. Little of Rockingham, Michael E. Sheeley of Fayetteville, Wendy E. Stamper of Albermarle, Amanda Wells of Raeford and Danielle M. White of Rockingham.

Detention Officer graduate Haley received an award for having the highest grade-point average and an award for being named the best overall student in the class.

Robbie Taylor, vice president of the Workforce and Economic Development division, which administers the detention officer training program, noted that these men and women were entering a challenging career in law enforcement and applauded them for completing the program.

Taylor introduced the guest speaker for the graduation ceremony, Chief Deputy Lloyd Goins from the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office, who serves as an instructor for the program.

Goins’ law enforcement career began in 1990 as a detention officer in the Scotland County Detention Center. Over the years, he has worked in many areas of law enforcement, including chief jail administrator in Scotland County from 1996 to 2012. He is a certified instructor in Basic Law Enforcement Training, Detention Officers Certification and N.C. Department of Public Safety courses. He is also a certified instructor for the National Sheriffs’ Association.

Goins described the important work that a detention officer does in ensuring the safety and health of inmates as well as maintaining the security of the facility.

“The facility only houses the inmates. It’s you guys whose proactive approach and being diligent in your duties that keeps the inmates inside that facility,” Goins said. “Be aware, be alert and pay attention on a daily basis.”

Detention Officer graduate Wells also spoke at the ceremony, acknowledging the hard work she and her classmates put in to completing the program and developing “new brothers and sisters in law enforcement.”

Dale McInnis, president of RCC, thanked all the law enforcement agencies from Scotland, Richmond, Anson, Montgomery and Hoke counties that took part in the training of these new detention officers and also for their daily service in protecting the community.

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By Wylie Bell

For The Exchange

Wylie Bell is the assistant director of marketing and communications for RCC