SANFORD - Seventeen individuals are among the most recent graduates of the Central Carolina Community College Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program.

The graduates - with hometowns listed -- are Milo Byrd of Dunn, Caitlin Cade of Siler City, Isaiah Crum of Bunnlevel, Paul Derazo of Lillington, Kyle Evans of Cameron, Gabriela Gomez of Broadway, Richard Gunter of Pittsboro, Adrian Laboy of Lillington, Kolby Harrison of Sanford, John Lacy of Moncure, Michael Lubawski of Spring Lake, James Murphy of Sanford, Zachary Price of Lillington, Joseph Stark of Siler City, Jessie Taub of Durham, Noah Thomas of Snow Camp, and Noah Welsh of Lillington.

A ceremony to honor the graduates was held Jan. 10 at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic & Conference Center in Sanford.

Guest speaker was John "Brad" Johnson, Chatham County Sheriff's Office, Retired. Others participating in the program were Jamie Brunson, CCCC Interim BLET Director; Roy E. Allen, CCCC Associate Dean, Public Safety and Criminal Justice; and Major Tammy Kirkman of the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. Class response was by Paul Derazo. Presentation of Colors was by the Chatham County Sheriff's Office Honor Guard.

Several of the graduates were recognized for outstanding achievement during their training. They were: Fastest Police Officers Physical Abilities Test (POPAT) - Chase/ Apprehension - Kolby Harrison; Fastest Police Officers Physical Abilities Test (POPAT) - Rescue - Kyle Evans; Jimmy Collins Top Gun Award - Noah Thomas; and Highest State Exam - Milo Byrd and Zachary Price.

Class sponsors were the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, Harnett County Sheriff's Office, Lee County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina State Parks and Recreation, and the Sanford Police Department.

To learn more about the Central Carolina Community College Basic Law Enforcement Training program, visit www.cccc.edu/blet.