JEFFERSON COUNTY — 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.

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.