TAVARES — Morlon Jenkins Jr., 42, a Lake Technical College law enforcement recruit, experienced a medical emergency on Aug. 11 during the first night of his training at the Florida Law Enforcement Academy at the Institute of Public Safety, a campus of Lake Technical College in Tavares. He died shortly after the incident, according to the Tavares Police Department and the school.
About 7:15 p.m., instructors immediately called emergency services, and Jenkins was transported to a local hospital, where he later died. The cause of death remains under investigation.
According to a statement from Lake Technical College, at the time Jenkins experienced the medical emergency, students were engaged in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement-required physical training component, as outlined in state curriculum.
All participants in the Florida Law Enforcement Academy program are required to have medical clearance from a physician, the school said in the statement. Jenkins had that required medical clearance.
“This is a very sad day for all involved. Our sincerest sympathies are with his family, friends, and loved ones today,” the school said in the statement.
“Detectives are working with the medical examiner’s office to determine what could have been the cause of death for Mr. Jenkins,” said Detective Courtney Sullivan, PIO for the Tavares Police, in a written statement.
“Due to this being an open and ongoing investigation, no further information is releasable at this time.”
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Law enforcement recruit dies during training at Lake Tech in Tavares
Reporting by Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial / Daily Commercial
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