The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office will host a Law Enforcement Explorer open house and Recruitment Night on Wednesday, October 18th, 2017 at 6 p.m. The event will take place at the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center located at 1901 Lynch Road. The program is open to young men and women ages 16-20 as well as their families.
Law Enforcement Exploring is a career-oriented program that gives young adults the opportunity to explore a career in law enforcement with members of local law enforcement agencies. Founded on July 12, 1963, it is one of the Exploring programs offerd by Learning for Life, a non-scouting subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America. Law Enforcement Exploring provides educational training programs for young adults on the purposes, mission and objectives of law enforcement. The program provides leadership opportunities and community service activities.
Sheriff Dave Wedding explained, “Law Enforcement Exploring is a great way for students to develop leadership skills and improve self-confidence.†Sheriff Wedding added, “Through fun and exciting ‘hands-on’ career related activities and community service opportunities, students will gain valuable experience that will help prepare them for a career in law enforcement.â€
The primary goals of the program are to help young adults choose a career path within law enforcement and to challenge them to become responsible citizens within their communities. During the open house, potential post members will have the opportunity to observe just a sample of what they will see and experience throughout their experience with the law enforcement explorer post program. They will also have an opportunity to meet and speak with current Explorers.
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Post 82 is open to young men and women ages 16 through 20 years old that are enrolled in High School or College with an interest in learning more about careers in the field of law enforcement. Explorer Post 82 is entering its sixth year in Vanderburgh County. Last year, over 20 youth from local high schools and universities participated in the Explorer Post. During the year, Explorers participated in classroom and hands-on-training with full time law enforcement and emergency services personnel. Training included: first aid, handcuffing and arrest techniques, firearms, emergency vehicle operations, criminal investigations, and community emergency response.
Along with the class room and hands on training, Explorers interacted with children at the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office Tent at the Vanderburgh County 4H Fair, the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival, and staffing positions during Field Sobriety Check Points. Explorers have also participated in several “Ride-A-Long†opportunities.
Agencies from federal, state and local levels coordinate the Law Enforcement Exploring programs throughout the United States. The majority of the community programs are managed by local police departments, including sheriffs, chiefs of police and state police.
Nationally, over 33,000 explorers participate in Law Enforcement Exploring. The program highlights include: the National Law Enforcement Exploring Leadership Academies, motor patrol ride-alongs, career achievement awards, National Law Enforcement Exploring Conferences and scholarship opportunities.
Law Enforcement Career Exploring posts typically meet on a monthly basis during the school year. Most programs parallel the high school calendar and begin in the fall. There are a number of programs that start at other times during the year to meet the needs of the host organization and participants. Programs are flexible enough to fit in with other activities.
For more information contact Deputy Erik Nilssen at (812) 421-6201 or click here to email him. You may also follow the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Explorer Post on Twitter @LEPost82 or on Facebook at VCSO Explorer Post 82. For more information on Explorer Posts visit www.learningforlife.org/exploring.
