SANFORD -- Eight Central Carolina Community College Basic Law Enforcement Training cadets received their graduation certificates May 21 at exercises at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center. All were members of the 2015 BLET day training program at the college's Emergency Services Training Center.

Receiving their certificates were Raymond Bradford Biehl, Johnny Lynn Griffin, Marcus Alfred Hart, Timothy Francis Shine, and Robert Gordon Turpen Jr., all of Sanford; Corey Joe Stephenson, of Angier; Clayton Ross Williams, of Fuquay-Varina; and Andrew Tyler Jones, of Pittsboro.

Several of the graduates were recognized for outstanding achievement during their training: Most Improved Physical Fitness - Johnny Lynn Griffin; Fastest Police Officers Physical Abilities Test (POPAT) - Robert Gordon Turpen Jr.; Jimmy Collins Top Gun Award and Highest State Exam - Corey Joe Stephenson; and Highest Grade Point Average - Raymond Bradford Biehl.

Benson D. Wise, of the City of Sanford Police Department, delivered the graduation remarks. Class Leader Corey J. Stephenson gave the class response.

The college's BLET program is under the direction of Robert Powell. All graduates are qualified to be certified law enforcement officers in North Carolina.

Sponsoring agencies for the evening BLET class were Chatham County Sheriff's Office, Coats Police Department, Lee County Sheriff's Office, and Lillington Police Department.

Special thanks to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office Color Guard for their presentation of colors at graduation, and Chatham Central High School for the use of their facilities for rapid deployment training.

For more information about the college's BLET program, visit www.cccc.edu/blet or contact Robert Powell at rpowell@cccc.edu or 919-777-7774.