All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Seeing double: Delaware twins say interning with city police has opened their eyes

Pictured, from left, are Patrolman Angel McCauley, Jerren Carter, Terren Carter and Buckhannon Police Chief Matt Gregory. As criminal justice majors at Wesleyan, the Carter brothers are interning with the Buckhannon Police Department this semester.

BUCKHANNON – A childhood game of “playing cops” has turned into a career opportunity for two identical twins from Delaware.

West Virginia Wesleyan College students Terren and Jerren Carter said they didn’t realize until middle school that working in the criminal justice system could be an option for their future careers.

But now, the Carter brothers are taking important steps on the path to begin their careers in criminal justice by interning with the Buckhannon Police Department.

The BPD accepts two interns per semester, and this semester, the junior criminal justice majors will complete internships there.

Interns are required to complete 120 hours at the police department for a three-credit internship. Police chief Matt Gregory oversees the interns.

“Mostly it’s observation,” Gregory explained. “They can’t do anything hands-on like make arrests [or] perform any type of law enforcement. I may have them assist with taking pictures or taking statements from witnesses at a traffic accident.”

Interns are not assigned to one specific officer to observe the whole time they are there, unlike probationary officers fresh out of the West Virginia State Police Academy who are paired with mentors.

“We try to diversify it so they can see different approaches because different officers have different ways of doing things,” Gregory said. “It’s good for an intern to see a variety.”

“These experiences allow them to see the application side of what they learn in the classroom,” he added.

The police department tries to focus on giving the interns opportunities to experience aspects of the field that interest them the most.

“When an intern is assigned to the police department, we always get a copy of the learning objectives and try to tailor their exposure to the practical side of law enforcement to those objectives,” Gregory said.

The Carters talked about what they’ve had the opportunity to experience since they have been interns – from routine traffic stops to domestic cases.

“You see something new every day,” Jerren Carter said. “It’s really a joy to be with a group of officers who are highly trained, and they just teach you about everything.”

The twins became interested in criminal justice when they were kids. They would run around their house playing cops and trying to arrest one another.

Jerren Carter said he became interested in pursuing criminal justice when he realized he could have a career in the field.

“I told [my brother] about it one day, and we took some classes together and he said, ‘I could find an interest in this,’ and we watched a lot of ‘Live PD,’” Jerren Carter said. “Live PD” airs on A&E Network and shows live police patrols on television.

Terren and Jerren Carter also have an uncle in law enforcement who has been a role model for them. According to Terren, their uncle became the first African American police officer to be a K-9 handler for the Wilmington Police Department in 1998. In 2003, their uncle took over the K-9 unit as supervisor and was presented the “Resolution” award by the City of Wilmington, Delaware.

“My uncle is a Master Corporal with the Wilmington Police Department in Delaware,” Terren Carter said. “I would definitely say he’s been my role model for my desire to enter a law enforcement career.”

The Carter twins have many things in common and very few differences, but according to Jerren Carter, he is a stay-to-himself kind of person, while his brother is more expressive.

“We really do everything together, honestly,” Terren Carter agreed. “I do like business things more than him. He’s not really a fan of accounting.”

Both praised the internship with the Buckhannon Police Department for the experiences it has given them.

“I’m grateful for the internship,” Jerren Carter said. “Chief Gregory and his staff do a tremendous job in Buckhannon.”

“They’re all really nice people, and my perspective has changed; it’s opened my eyes to the reality of the job,” Terren Carter said.

“The job isn’t for everyone – it really takes someone with drive and a willingness to work in a dangerous setting,” he added.

Terren also said he’s realized that the police understand that people make mistakes – but they still have a job to do to protect the public.

Terren and Jerren both hope to go back to Delaware to be state troopers and eventually work with a K-9 unit after they graduate from West Virginia Wesleyan in May 2021.

The twins have been interested in working with K-9s for a while and appreciate the intelligence and skills that K-9s bring to police departments.

“I just like the idea of a dog that’ll have my back just as much as a human partner will,” Terren Carter said.

Share this story:

RECENT Stories

This week’s Hank Ellis All-Stars: Jack Waggy and Rylen Carlyle

Jack Waggy broke a 30-year-old school record in the 3200 meters and Rylen Carlyle leapt to a personal best in the long jump, earning them Hank Ellis All-Stars honors for Buckhannon-Upshur this week.

WVSSAC to keep state high school golf tournament in Wheeling

The WVSSAC Board of Directors has chosen Oglebay Resort in Wheeling to continue hosting the state high school golf championship through 2028 after considering bids from several venues.

Waggy breaks school record in 3200 meters for Bucs at Harry Green Invitational

Jack Waggy broke the Buckhannon-Upshur school record in the 3200 meters with a time of 9:45.31 at the Harry Green Invitational, leading the Bucs to a fourth-place finish overall.

Carlyle wins long jump for B-U at Harry Green Invitational

Rylen Carlyle set a personal record to win the long jump as Buckhannon-Upshur’s girls placed fourth overall at the Harry Green Invitational, highlighted by strong performances in several individual and relay events.

Moss has four goals as Lady Bucs gain 17-1 lacrosse win over Fairmont Senior

Mallory Moss scored four goals and two assists as the Buckhannon-Upshur Lady Bucs dominated Fairmont Senior 17-1, with contributions from seven teammates and strong defensive play in goal and on groundballs.

Lacrosse Bucs down Jefferson County, 11-4

The Buckhannon-Upshur lacrosse team snapped a two-game losing streak with an 11-4 home win over Jefferson County, led by Tobias Marple’s four goals and Michael Tracy’s six assists.
WVWC Tennis

Wesleyan women’s tennis gains wins over West Liberty and Frostburg State

The West Virginia Wesleyan women’s tennis team improved to 3-1 in conference play with victories over West Liberty and Frostburg State, moving into third place in the Mountain East Conference standings.
WVWC Tennis

Tennis Bobcats pick up two more victories

The West Virginia Wesleyan men’s tennis team remained undefeated in Mountain East Conference play by defeating West Liberty 7-0 and Frostburg State 5-2, setting up a showdown with fellow unbeaten Charleston.

Baseball ‘Cats win one of two against Concord

West Virginia Wesleyan split a weekend baseball doubleheader with Concord University, dropping the opener 6–3 after late offense from Concord but rebounding with a 1–0 victory behind Eli Brogan’s complete-game shutout.
WVWC Track - Wesleyan Sports

Wesleyan softball splits doubleheader with West Liberty

West Virginia Wesleyan rallied late to win the opener 4–3 over West Liberty, but the Hilltoppers’ Kadence Pettit fired a complete-game shutout in Game Two as the teams split their Mountain East Conference softball doubleheader.

WVWC Student Senate contributes to flood relief in Wyoming County

WVWC Student Senate donated $1,000 to Mountain Heart Community Service to support Wyoming County households recovering from severe February flooding damage.

Moose International chairman visits Buckhannon lodge for dinner and grant ceremony

Robert K. Funkey, chairman of the Moose International Board, visited Buckhannon Moose Lodge 598 for a special dinner during which the lodge donated $500 to Upshur County Youth Baseball and Softball.