Special to Iredell Free News

Mitchell Community College’s Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) students participated in a new tradition – the BLET Spirit Run – on Monday, August 29.

BLET students from the summer class and two instructors ran a route starting at Mitchell’s Mooresville Campus to the Government Center and then to Mooresville Town Hall.

Students paused at each location, where they were addressed by different law enforcement officials. At the Government Center, students heard from Major Brian Fink of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office; at the Mooresville Town Hall, students were addressed by Captain Chris Jorgenson of the Mooresville Police Department.

The BLET Spirit Run was a tradition created by students for students.

“The students came up with the idea as a way of showing the community and others who may be interested in a career in law enforcement the amount of community support that we enjoy here in Iredell County,” said Todd Carver, BLET coordinator at Mitchell Community College. “We truly are partners in the effort to keep our community safe!”

Carver, who participated in the run, plans to make this a regular event during the final week of each BLET class session.

“I hope this tradition will become a welcome of the cadets into our community and our profession,” added Carver.

BLET Spirit Run participants were escorted by Mooresville police on their run. Passersby stopped in observance of the Spirit Run, and gave students nods and applause. To conclude the Spirit Run, the group returned to the Mooresville Campus.

“This event brings the students out into the community,” said David Bullins, director of Public Safety at Mitchell. “We want our citizens to see our newest law enforcement officers as real people. Fitness is important to many, and this shows we have something in common. Mitchell partners with our local agencies so this also shows we’re all working together to make Iredell County the safest place to live in North Carolina.”

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