Rend Lake College News

Jefferson County Sheriff donates firearms and funds to RLC Criminal Justice program

Written by Brett Herrmann | Oct 19, 2020 5:00:00 AM

INA, Ill. (Oct. 19, 2020)
Students studying criminal justice at Rend Lake College will benefit from some new equipment and additional funding thanks to a recent donation from Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Bullard.

Bullard’s office donated $1,000 for criminal justice scholarships at the college along with four XD .40 Smith & Wesson handguns that students can use during classes that utilize the college’s shooting range. Bullard said the handguns were previously carried by Sheriff’s Deputies but became available for donation as the Sheriff’s Office upgrades to newer models.

“I want to thank Sheriff Bullard for his support of our program. Not just with the monetary value and the guns but with his work as an adjunct professor,” said RLC Criminal Justice Professor Ron Meek. “It all adds a tremendous amount.”

A variety of classes utilize the RLC Shooting Range including police weapons and defense tactics, private investigator, armed security, private security, and concealed carry classes. The new firearms add more variety to RLC’s armory and allow students more opportunities to find a firearm that they are most comfortable with.

Bullard said the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, along with many other local agencies, rely on RLC’s criminal justice program for training and developing new recruits.

“We’re looking for career-minded people who want to continue to live and work in this county,” Bullard said.

For more information on RLC’s criminal justice program, visit rlc.edu or contact RLC’s Applied Science and Technology Division at (618) 437-5321 Ext. 1261 or AppliedScience@rlc.edu.

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