Bladenboro Police Chief Justin Hewett did not know his certification as a firearms instructor had been cancelled, according to a post he shared on social media today.
“I want to be clear and upfront, my certification was revoked (without my knowledge) effective Dec. 31, 2025, because I failed to complete a required four-hour firearms update course,” the post said.
Hewett, who has served with a number of area departments, joined Bladenboro in July. He was working with the Fair Bluff Police at the time. He has been a State Standards firearms instructor since 2011.
Social media reports and widespread rumors accused Hewett of knowing he was not certified as a firearms instructor with the state Law Enforcement Training and Standards Division, and questioned whether any certifications Hewett had overseen were viable.
Hewett said he was starting a career in the “insurance industry” then the certification was revoked, and he was not notified.
“I had originally registered for a November 2024 update course, but that course was canceled due to a natural disaster,” he said. “I subsequently failed to register for another session before the deadline. This was an oversight, and I accept responsibility for not completing the requirement.
“However, I had absolutely no knowledge that my instructor certification had been revoked until approximately two weeks ago,” he said. “The certificate in my possession reflected an expiration date of February 2027, consistent with the three-year renewal cycle. I received no direct notification or correspondence advising me that my individual certification had been revoked or was no longer active.
“I believed in good faith that my certification remained valid.”
Hewett said when he discovered the error, he contacted the Standards Division in an attempt to “work through this matter.” When that failed, he approached the Police Benevolent Association for help, and that was also unsuccessful.
Hewett posted that he has voluntarily contacted all the departments he worked with, and “thanks to the assistance and cooperation of some great fellow firearms instructors” all the affected officers have since recertified.
Contrary to social media reports, Hewett said the Bladenboro police Department has not been shut down by the state, and the Criminal Justice Training and Standards division did not issue a cease-and-desist order to affected departments. Hewett said he did not falsify documents or knowingly continue police instruction after discovering his certificate had been cancelled.
“I will not make excuses for missing a required training update,” Hewett wrote. “However, I will not accept allegations of dishonesty, intentional misconduct, or deliberate disregard for the standards of this profession when that is not what occurred.”
“My commitment to law enforcement, the officers who serve our communities, and the profession itself has not changed,” he said.
Hewett has been a law enforcement officer for 25 years. He was the youngest sworn officer in the state when he started at age 20 and six months. His first full-time law enforcement experience came in Holden Beach, where he advanced from patrolman to detective sergeant and operations supervisor.
In 2012, he became police chief in Fair Bluff before going to work at the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office as a K9 Officer, school resource officer and detention center supervisor. In 2015 he went to work with the Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) division as a K9 officer. Hewett was hired back at Fair Bluff in 2025 as a captain and dismissed without explanation (with another officer) in July. Town records said no disciplinary actions were taken.
CCN has reached out to the N.C. Standards and Training Division of the state Dept. of Justice for more information.
