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Law, Public Safety and Corrections in North Carolina
These pages summarize rules to help you plan. They are not legal advice. Before you place students at a work site or change a program, check with your state agency, your district's counsel and your insurance carrier.
In short
North Carolina students earn NLEC and Certified Protection Officer credentials in Law and Justice; college credit runs through Career and College Promise, and police certification starts at 20.
State program: Law and Justice pathway: IP41, IP42; CIP 43.0104
What a high school can deliver
NLEC and Certified Protection Officer credentials and CCP college credit; sworn and guard roles wait until 18 or 20.
Credentials students can earn
IP41: National Law Enforcement Certification (NLEC); IP42: Certified Protection Officer (IFPO); no dispatch credential listed
Age and hour requirements
Police officer certification 20; deputies and detention officers 20; telecommunicators and state correctional officers 18; unarmed guard 18 with 16 hours of training, armed 21.
Other agencies involved
None for the classroom program; BLET belongs to the Criminal Justice Standards Commission and is postsecondary.
Who can teach it
License 74099 T&I-Public Safety (2 years with a bachelor's to 6 with a diploma); before teaching, one of NCDPS CERT, NCOSFM Qualified Fire Instructor, OEMS EMT Instructor, an IFPO certification or law enforcement certification; provisional licensure allowed.
Child labor rules for work placements
Youth employment certificate for all employment under 18; no state rule on ride-alongs (agency policy). Federal HO 2 bars driving agency vehicles in paid work.
College credit after high school
No Law and Justice rows in the HS-to-CC Articulation Agreement; Career and College Promise Criminal Justice Technology certificate C55180H2 (18 semester hours, tuition waived).
Where to go next
- The full Law, Public Safety and Corrections guide, showing North Carolina
- The North Carolina state profile
- Add this pathway to your plan
Law, Public Safety and Corrections in other states
Other pathways in North Carolina
- Nurse Aide / Patient Care
- EMT
- Electrical
- Welding
- Construction and Carpentry
- HVAC/R
- Cybersecurity / Networking
- Programming / Computer Science
- Automotive
- Medical and Dental Assisting
- Cosmetology
- Agriculture
- Early Childhood Education
- Culinary and Hospitality
- Machining and Mechatronics
- Engineering and Drafting
- Firefighting
- Business Management and Marketing
- Entrepreneurship
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