Members of the Tucson Police Explorer Post 180 brought home seven awards last month from a law enforcement competition in Colorado.
The Tucson Police Department program is for youths ages 14 to 20 who have an interest in law enforcement.
Eight Tucson Explorers competed at the Law Enforcement Explorer Post Advisor's Association of Colorado conference in Denver last month and received awards for their skills in the knock-and-talk scenario, hostage negotiations, pedestrian contact, high risk vehicle stops and high risk entry, program advisor, Officer Kyle Wilson, said in an email.
“This conference is unique,” Wilson said, because teams are made up of four Explorers from different agencies who have not worked together before. “They get a day or two to train and develop tactics that best work for them, pulling skills from each of their respective agencies.”
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About 250 Explorers from 15 law enforcement agencies in the Western states participated.
The Explorers meet and train at the TPD main station downtown at 270 S. Stone Avenue.
Once a year the Explorer Program offers a one-week training course at the Tucson Police Academy. There, Explorers study law enforcement techniques and build physical fitness. Explorers also compete at several regional Explorer competitions.
Each Explorer is issued a uniform.
They learn about different units within the TPD, including: police motorcycle officers, K-9 officers, the S.W.A.T. team, police communications, the records department and crime scene management.
Explorers work with police officers, detectives and supervisors.
They practice police tactics, including: building searches, radio procedures, traffic stops, report writing and crime scene investigations.
And they participate in community service events.
Go to www.tucsonpoliceexplorers.org to learn more about the Tucson Police Explorers.
