SPPD Explorers Post #2053:
City Council hears of program, plans
April 15, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Members of Santa Paula Police Explorers Post #2350 were presented to the City Council at the April 6 meeting, a show of strength for the group that trains under the SPPD and serves the community.
Much like the ranks of SPPD Officers the number of Explorers has decreased in recent years but now is again building; a community-based policing program to help encourage and guide youth to a better path for the future, the Santa Paula Post — founded in 2006 — now has 24 members. Members must be between 14 and 20 years old.
Police Chief Steve McLean told the council that nine of the Explorers are now in college, one is attending middle school while the balance are in high school.
“I don’t think you go up to any group of 24 teens and find that nine of them are in college,” said McLean.
The SPPD Explorers Post has a “Great mentor program,” under Explorers Coordinator/Sgt. Ken Clark, Reserve Sgt. Dave Curran and Cadet Martha Reynolds-Brown as well as a volunteer Melanie Curran.
The local post is also unusual because it encourages members to do better rather than punishing them: “When I was an Explorer if you didn’t maintain a C average they’d boot you out,” but the SPPD Post instead has always worked with the Explorers to improve their grades — and never had one not attain that goal.
McLean noted that many Explorers are so devoted to the program that they “Go to school all day and then come to the station,” where they help in a variety of ways.
Explorer Sgt. Sergio Gutierrez said the program has “made a tremendous impact on my life,” and has solidified his childhood aspiration to be a police officer, “My calling … ”
Explorer Rachel Vasquez gave the council examples of the volunteer work done by Post members ranging from helping officers with paperwork and traffic control at incidents to working special events such as Cruise Nite to greet visitors and answer questions.
Being an Explorer can have other challenges including said Vasquez sometimes disparaging remarks by their high school peers leery of police.
The SPPD Explorers Post will be competing soon in the 2015 Ex-Con Competition to be held in Las Vegas in June; SPPD Senior Range Master Dave Manning is working with Explorers on preparing for the competition that includes active shooter response, dark alley target shooting, air soft gun shoot and firearms simulator. Other competitive events include high-risk traffic stop, suspicious person stop, downed officer rescue, crime scene investigation, fire hose tug of war, obstacle courses and other events.
McLean told the council that an added advantage of the Explorers program is that “It builds future police officers,” that could return to the community to forge their law enforcement career.
Councilwoman Jenny Crosswhite noted the value of the program and thanked all involved from Explorers to advisors.
Donations to Explorers Post #2053 can be sent to the Santa Paula Police Department, 214 S. 10th St., Santa Paula, CA 93060.
