Chanting, the team yells at the top of their lungs. Their hands fly into the air in an excited dance. Together, they await with nervous exhilaration for the competition to begin, pumping each other up.
The Police Explorers are part of Law Enforcement Police Exploring, a national organization which has over 60 clubs across the country, senior Julian Pometta said.
Law Enforcement Police Exploring is a branch of the national Exploring program. According to the Law Enforcement Police Exploring website, it split off from a Boy Scout program. Its main goal is to teach high schoolers life and career skills through mentorship.
“The Club meets after school from 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m.,” Pometta said. “The Police Explorers has officially 16 members and 5 are new recruits.”
Junior Amelia Cesario said that she was one of the new recruits to be sworn in this year, even though she has been in the post for about a year.
“The swearing-in ceremony took place in city hall with all the new officers, parking enforcement and all the new enforcement,” Cesario said. “We make an oath to the state and country to abide by and enforce all laws.”
Clubs through Law Enforcement Police Exploring are open to anyone from sixth grade to 20 years of age, according to the Law Enforcement Police Exploring website. In addition to teaching awareness about the criminal justice system, the program also promotes personal development through learning to respect the law and to be a good citizen. 
“I really like the leadership it gives you,” Pometta said. “It’s a really good community.”
The Police Explorers often afterward bond by going to Chipotle together, Cesario said.
“The Police Explorers are a very unique team because we have to depend on each other totally to execute the maneuvers that we practice,” Cesario said. “That trust creates very strong bonds with each other and concretes our friendships.’’
The club often competes against other police groups around the country. The competitions include different SWAT drills like hostage scenarios, Pometta said.
Last year the team attended a competition in Arizona, he said.
“We have been going to competitions since the post was founded, but some years we skip based on current conditions,” Pometta said.
The explorers are able to compete because they are trained by officers who are well versed in SWAT and patrol. Good teamwork and excellent trainers have made the club one of the best in the country, which is what allows them to compete, Cesario said.
“I do not know of any [competitions] that we will be doing this year, but I am sure that we will find a competition of some sort to train for and keep our skills sharp,” Cesario said.
