Groundbreaking ceremony held for new public safety center at Brunswick Community College [Video]

BOLIVIA, N.C. (WECT) – Work has officially begun on a facility to train the next generation of public safety professionals at Brunswick Community College (BCC).

Officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new 28,278-square-foot Alan Holden Public Safety Center on Friday to address workforce needs in the region.

The facility will house a wide array of specialized labs and training rooms, including a VirTra Simulator, a moveable wall tactical firearm room, a self-defense/arrest techniques mat room, driving simulators, EMS scenario training rooms, and an apparatus bay.

The facility will serve as the new home for numerous programs and certifications, leaders said.

“We spoke with the leadership, the sheriff’s office and with the county. We’ve needed this for a long time, to try and centralize some of the training efforts,” Dr. Gene Smith, President of BCC, said.

Construction is scheduled to begin on February 3 and officials hope to have the …