Not only are students learning inside the classroom, but for ten students, they are learning outside of the classroom about how to be policemen through Police Explorers.
“Police Explorers is a volunteer program run by the Piedmont Police Department that trains high schoolers in the same tactics and procedures as our officers,” program sergeant senior Alex Krenitsky said.
Krenitsky has been a part of the program since his freshman year and has since stuck with it.
“Everyone was graduating but I loved the program so I put a lot of time and energy to revive it,” Krenitsky said. “Now we’re competing at an unprecedented level for the program, thanks to the efforts of all our explorers.”
Currently, the Explorers are training for a competition during January in Chandler, Arizona, in which they will be competing against other Explorer posts from across the country. Freshman Jonah Isaac said they are in the process of learning SWAT tactics in preparation for the competition.
Besides preparing for upcoming competitions, the leaders of the program: Officer Kristina Foster, Joseph Garcia and Jeff Spranza help lead in an overviewing of laws, physical training, and riding along in the patrol cars, Isaac said.
The Explorers attend meetings once a week that focus on patrol tactics, criminal law, crime scene investigation and first aid.
In addition to working with officers at the Piedmont Police station, guest speakers also speak to Explorers about topics such as crime scene investigation or gang violence.
“We put these skills to use for public safety for town events, ride alongs with our officers where they let us do the ground work like writing tickets or controlling radio traffic” Krenitsky said.
The hands-on learning has not only taught the Explorers the logistics and processes involved with being a cop, but it has also taught them life skills.
“I have learned the importance of discipline, respect, integrity, and organization and it has definitely made me think about pursuing a career in law enforcement,” Isaac said.
Through all the hands on learning and practice the Police Explorers put in, many benefits arise.
