Rowan-Cabarrus Community College has relocated its Cabarrus County law enforcement training to the new Sheriff’s Administration building in Concord. 
At the college’s August Board of Trustees meeting, trustees, county commissioners, public safety officers and community leaders toured the seventh floor of the Sheriff’s Administration building where its Cabarrus County law enforcement training now occurs. 
“The training presented in this new facility is extremely important. I’m grateful to the county for providing this new state-of-the-art training space,” said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. “The move to the sheriff’s building makes a lot of sense, as many of our students aspire to work there someday.” 
The college’s Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program trains local leaders and develops officers who protect citizens every day. 
“This new space is vital to the delivery of the college’s programs in Cabarrus County,” said Spencer J. Rummage Jr., director of the college’s BLET Program and Criminal Justice Technology program chair. “I have been involved with the delivery of law enforcement training courses for almost 23 years now, and this is, without a doubt, the nicest facility I have ever been given the privilege to use. The design, materials, classroom technology and even the furniture are all state-of-the-art. We are all so thankful and excited about this new facility.” 
In addition to touring the new training facility, the Board of Trustees also heard from BLET graduate and Cabarrus County Deputy Kevin Klinglesmith.
Klinglesmith, also a graduate of the college’s criminal justice program, graduated from the BLET program in December 2002 and began his career with the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office in January of 2003. 
“I am really proud of Kevin – he has taken his training to heart, maintained his professionalism, and kept himself physically fit for duty,” said Rummage. “He’s kept up with his own continuing education and is now teaching other sworn officers. He’s truly come full circle.” 
Today, Klinglesmith is not just a successful graduate of the college’s programs, but he is also a decorated instructor at Rowan-Cabarrus and across the state of North Carolina. He is one of less than 30 Drug Recognition Expert Instructors for the state and also teaches with the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys.
“Hard work and dedication are key to success, and I learned that very clearly as part of the Rowan-Cabarrus Basic Law Enforcement Training program,” said Klinglesmith, who has never taken a sick day in 10 years as an officer. 
Klinglesmith now teaches patrol techniques, standardized sobriety testing (statewide), court preparation, and BLET classes. 
“It is an honor to teach basic law enforcement at the college. I remember sitting in those seats myself – it seems like just yesterday,” said Klinglesmith. “It’s very rewarding.” 
“I’m grateful to these individuals, like Deputy Klinglesmith, for their service,” said Carl M. Short, chair of the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Board of Trustees. “I do not believe that the public fully realizes that we train the people who protect and serve us every day – our law enforcement officers, our firefighters, our nurses, our EMTs. I’m proud of the training the college provides in these areas.”
The college is also pleased to offer its criminal justice program entirely online beginning this fall. The associate in applied science (AAS) in criminal justice can be completed entirely in the classroom, entirely online, or through a combination of online and classroom-based courses. 
“The criminal justice program gives you the flexibility of online courses while guaranteeing that you will always have help from qualified faculty,” said Kimberly Boling, coordinator of the online criminal justice program. “The program’s set-up means you can connect with your professors and fellow students on your own time.” 
Career possibilities include: Local, state, and federal government agencies; private businesses and organizations; police agencies as officers, detectives, safety or security officers; juvenile detention and probation officers, adult probation officers, and correctional officers; attorneys, investigators. 
The online program provides a conceptual understanding of criminal justice institutions and processes, theories of crime and punishment, criminal law and social science research methods. Online classes will be conducted by on-campus faculty members. Students will engage in the same critical examination of criminal justice issues and solutions as they do in the traditional classroom. 
“We know our students lead demanding lives — with jobs, families and community commitments — that’s why it’s important to us to provide important job preparation courses online to accommodate their busy lifestyles,” said Spalding. 
The college now offers seven degrees completely online: associate in arts (AA) in history and political science, AAS in accounting, business administration and business administration-marketing and retailing and AAS in criminal justice; seven additional degrees have 90 percent or more of courses available online. Additionally, three diplomas can be completed entirely online – two within business administration and one within accounting, along with 15 certificates – eight within business administration and seven within accounting. 
“Obviously, some degrees are not conducive to becoming entirely online. Where it is possible, however, we are seeking to provide these opportunities,” said Spalding. 
For more information about Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, please call 704-216-RCCC (7222) or visit www.rccc.edu.