2026 School Directors’ Conference
Welcome to the 2026 Criminal Justice School Directors’ Conference.
The 2026 School Directors’ Conference was held September 20 – 22, 2026 at the Embassy Suites in Greensboro, NC.
Awards
2026 Partnership Award
You have all been on the receiving end of my many requests for assistance—whether to obtain information needed to respond to Commissioners’ inquiries or to gather feedback on proposed initiatives. The Division, and particularly the Training, Research, and Field Services Team, could not achieve the level of success we do without your collaboration and support.
We greatly value the insight and feedback provided by our School Directors and Qualified Assistants. We are especially grateful for those who consistently go above and beyond whenever a member of our staff calls for assistance.
This year, we are proud to introduce a new award: the Partnership Award. This award recognizes a Commission course-delivery-site School Director or Qualified Assistant whose exceptional collaboration, responsiveness, and partnership have made a significant contribution to the Division and the Training, Research, and Field Services Team.
This year’s recipient has repeatedly answered the call for help. His many contributions include:
- Drafting test questions for all 38 End-of-Block examinations.
- Drafting test questions for the 14 lesson plans developed for the Instructor Training and Curriculum Design pilot courses.
- Drafting test questions for the new Specialized Firearms Instructor Training state examination.
- Serving as a longstanding member of the School Directors’ Advisory Group.
- Hosting several Level Set-Orientation, and In-Service Training courses.
- Serving on the BLET End-of-Block test-question vetting team, which reviewed more than 1,800 submitted questions.
- Assisting with the development of documentation presented to the Commission’s Executive Committee.
Whenever assistance was requested, this School Director’s first response was: “How can I help?”
He did so while simultaneously administering two highly successful 868-hour BLET courses, detention officer courses, and an Instructor Training course.
His generosity, reliability, thoughtful assistance, and collaborative spirit have made a meaningful and lasting difference. Through his dedication, he has strengthened the work of the Division and the Training, Research, and Field Services Team, and has exemplified what true partnership looks like.
In recognition of his outstanding partnership, exceptional commitment to helping others succeed, and unwavering willingness to go above and beyond, we are honored to present the 2026 Partnership Award to School Director Timothy Fuss, Cape Fear Community College.
2026 Innovation Award
It is not every day that an academy has the opportunity to showcase its culture, its impact, and its unwavering commitment to excellence in criminal justice training for the men and women of North Carolina.
This year, the Division received many outstanding nominations for the Innovation Award—an honor established to recognize a Commission course delivery site that consistently elevates the standard for exceptional, relevant, and meaningful training. This award celebrates an academy that delivers high-impact instruction to cadets in basic training and to certified professionals pursuing advanced education, while embracing creative, forward-thinking approaches that promote motivation, engagement, and student success.
The Innovation Award recognizes an outstanding commitment to cultivating curiosity, creativity, and leadership. It honors an academy that creates exceptional learning experiences, develops practical skills, and empowers learners to think critically, challenge convention, and apply new ideas to real-world challenges.
This year’s recipient has demonstrated that commitment through an innovative, faculty-driven instructional system. Rather than treating lesson objectives as simple requirements to be covered, the academy uses each objective as the foundation for a complete learning process. Classroom instruction is reinforced through faculty-developed study infographics, structured note-taking tools, study guides, individualized faculty coaching, and targeted intervention when needed.
This intentional approach has strengthened student engagement, enhanced faculty effectiveness, enabled earlier identification of learning gaps, and improved student preparation for the successful completion of course requirements and the state examination. Most importantly, it reflects a commitment to ensuring that every student has the support, resources, and opportunity needed to succeed.
Through its dedication to turning ideas into action, embracing continuous improvement, and preparing criminal justice professionals to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, this academy has made a meaningful contribution to innovation and progress in North Carolina’s criminal justice training community.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege to present this year’s Innovation Award to the Gaston College Training Academy, in recognition of its continued pursuit of excellence, innovation, and impactful criminal justice training.
Read their submission, Gaston College Integrated Learning System – A Faculty-Driven Instructional System for Student Success in Basic Law Enforcement Training.
2026 Best Academy Vehicle Contest
Two years ago, we launched our first-ever contest to find the Best BLET Car—and you did not disappoint. We received some outstanding entries and quickly learned that our academies have much more than great-looking vehicles. We have incredibly creative School Directors and teams who know how to turn a vehicle photo into a full production.
Then last year, we took things in a completely different direction with the Worst Looking BLET Car Contest. Once again, our School Directors and their teams stepped up—bravely putting their vehicles on display with some truly unforgettable staging.
A special shout-out goes to the team at Pitt Community College for their exceptional videos and next-level creativity. You set the bar high and proved that even the roughest-looking BLET car can become a star of the show.
This year, several academies asked us to bring back the Best Looking BLET Car Contest, especially after adding fresh graphics and new looks to their vehicles. So, we decided to expand the competition: all academies, all academy vehicles, and no limits on creativity.
And once again—you delivered.
As you watch this year’s entries, you will see impressive vehicles, creative staging, big personalities, and yes… even a little AI making an appearance. The effort, imagination, and out-of-the-box thinking on display are exactly what make this contest so much fun.
School Directors and academy teams: thank you. Your enthusiasm, creativity, and willingness to go all-in for the camera are amazing, and we truly appreciate the effort you put into representing your academies.
Now, it is time to recognize this year’s winners.
Best Academy Vehicle Contest Awards
- Third Place: South Piedmont Community College
- Second Place: A/B Tech Community College
- First Place: Wake Tech Community College
Congratulations to all of our winners!
But wait—we are not quite finished.
Our 12 judges—none of whom had a dog in the fight—also selected one academy for an Honorable Mention. This recognition goes to a team that demonstrated truly exceptional, outside-the-box thinking in the way they showcased one of their academy vehicles.
The Honorable Mention for the 2026 Best Academy Vehicle Contest goes to:
NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Congratulations to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission—and to every academy that participated. You made this year’s contest creative, entertaining, and memorable.