Bertie County, North Carolina

8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 BERT I E COUNTY , NORTH CAROL INA college credits, already working toward their degree in criminal justice or their BLE (Basic Law Enforcement). “We know that’s a great standard here in Bertie County,” Trent says. “We have a very low crime rate.” Trent is also quick to credit area corporations who donated money to get these systems rolling. “These companies came together and wrote checks within 10 days after asking to get these programs put together.” “I think it’s important that we leverage the diversity of this community,” Wasson emphasizes. “We are the largest minority majority community in the state of North Carolina. We’re 72% African American. And that is unique. We’ve got to make sure that we connect our people to all the opportunities that are available to them through the county government.” “People here have a real opportunity and people that come to Bertie County will have the same opportunities,” says Trent. “We’re reaching out, touching everybody with everything that we try to do. It all goes back to the people of Bertie higher than the other two counties that border us. We have helipads. We have our own hospital here now. We have a helicopter stationed right here in Bertie County, right beside our hospital. That has been of great importance, especially in rural areas, to have a hospital that services the community the way it does. And that’s one reason we went from volunteerism to where people can actually work for the county and earn a living and earn a retirement. It creates an economic hub.” Today, Bertie County has a fantastic feeder program at the local high school. Juniors can take a course that starts preparing them for EMS certification. “We’re growing our own employees,” Wesson states. “We’ve hired everyone who has graduated in the county system.” There’s another program, too, that also helps to grow their own workforce. Students can join a law enforcement program in high school, which is the only one of its kind offered in the State of North Carolina. Students leave school with