College of The Albemarle receives patrol car donation from Town of Kitty Hawk

Caption:  Kitty Hawk Police Chief Joel Johnson presents the donated Dodge Charger to Dr. Jack Bagwell, COA President.  Those present included (front row, l-r):  Melody Clopton, Town Manager; Craig Garriss, Mayor and BLET Qualified Assistant/Instructor; Doug White, BLET Qualified Assistant/Instructor; Dr. Jack Bagwell, COA President; Joel Johnson, Chief, Kitty Hawk Police Department; Robin Zinsmeister, Dean, Workforce Development, Public Services and Career Readiness and Campus Administrator, COA – Edenton-Chowan; John Etheridge, Director, Basic Law Enforcement Training; (back row): current COA BLET class.

College of The Albemarle (COA) is pleased to announce that the Town of Kitty Hawk approved the donation of a 2016 Dodge Charger vehicle to the College on December 5, 2022. The car was presented to COA by Mayor Craig Garriss, Town Manager Melody Clopton, and Police Chief Joel Johnson on January 10, 2023.

“This is a wonderful addition to the resources we use for our program,” said John Etheridge, COA BLET Director. “The COA Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program will utilize the vehicle to provide additional training opportunities for our cadets.  Our students benefit greatly from our partnership with Kitty Hawk and all law enforcement agencies and organizations within our service area.”

According to Craig Garriss, Mayor, Town of Kitty Hawk, “The donated vehicle was scheduled to be replaced out of the Kitty Hawk Police Department vehicle rotation due to its age and mileage.” 

College of The Albemarle trains many law enforcement officers in our seven-county service area, including a number of those who have served or currently serve the Town of Kitty Hawk.  “We appreciate the partnerships and relationships we have with our law enforcement agencies,” said Dr. Jack Bagwell, COA President.  “The donation of this vehicle is greatly appreciated and epitomizes what community truly means to COA and the counties we serve.  We have a wonderful relationship with the Town of Kitty Hawk, and we are thankful that they thought of COA when determining the next steps for this vehicle’s use.  We look forward to the continued success of our BLET program, its graduates, and our agency partnerships.”

“This is just one way that Kitty Hawk can thank the College for its great work to train and mold new officers who will go out in the communities to serve and protect,” shared Craig Garriss, Mayor of Kitty Hawk.  “Kitty Hawk and COA have always had a great working relationship, and I have no doubt that great rapport will continue.”

To learn more about COA’s BLET program, visit www.albemarle.edu/blet or contact Cheryl Griffin, COA Law Enforcement Training and In-Service Coordinator, at 252.335.0821, ext. 2210.  For all other COA-related information, contact Tammy W. Sawyer, COA Director of Communications and Marketing, at tammy_sawyer32@albemarle.edu or 252.335.0821, ext. 2420.