The Los Angeles Police Explorer Program was established in 1962, it has been a very successful youth program for the past 41 years. It now operates as a "Learning for Life" program out of Juvenile Division. The purpose of the Explorer program is to provide special training to the young people that are preparing themselves for a career in law enforcement.

• To recruit qualified young men and women and prepare them for future careers in law enforcement.
• To assist them in becoming better citizens in their community, while developing a positive relationship between the police and the youth.
• Preparing the young people physically for a challenging career.
• To provide a forum, in which young people can provide non-hazardous community service, thereby relieving police officers for other assignments.
  

Program Requirements

The Explorer Program has a stringent selection process and only takes the most qualified applicants. Once selected, an Explorer Recruit is expected to maintain a high level of standards.

Explorer Recruits must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 14 years of age and in the 9th grade; or 15 years (regardless of grade) through 21 years of age
• Pass a preliminary investigation
• Have at least a "C" average and maintain it through the 12th grade
• Have no record of serious arrests or convictions
• Maintain good moral character
• Be free of any physical deficiencies that would jeopardize the explorer or others in the program
• Obtain a medical examination (to qualify for insurance)
• Attend and graduate from the Explorer Academy
• Pass an oral examination
• Write an autobiography
• Register with Learning for Life, which does not discriminate, based on color, race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnic background, economic status, or citizenship. The City of Los Angeles and the LAPD do not endorse any policy, which discriminates based on sexual orientation.
• Demonstrate a willingness to serve and participate in explorer activities

Explorer Academy
The Los Angeles Police Department's Youth Programs Unit coordinates a 128-hour Explorer Recruit Academy. This training is composed of academics, physical-fitness training and military drill that are instructed by police officers and explorers with the Los Angeles Police Department. This training is supplemented by additional physical fitness, academics and drill that are taught by the explorer POST advisors and explorer supervisors.

Satisfactory passing scores on two academic tests and two physical-fitness qualifications must be achieved before the explorer recruits are able to graduate from the Academy. The explorer recruits must graduate from the Academy prior to wearing the law enforcement explorer uniform and receiving identification cards verifying their association with the Los Angeles Police Explorer Program.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

Sec. 4.400.
The City is dedicated to the goal of equal employment opportunity based on merit system principles, free of discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion/creed, sex, disability, age, medical conditions (cancer), marital status, sexual orientation, retaliation for filing a claim of discrimination, or being afflicted or perceived as afflicted with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or the Human Immunovirus (HIV). The responsibilities of all City employees to ensure that the City provides an environment free of discrimination and harassment on these or any other non-work-related basis are set out in the City's policies.

Explorer Activities
Explorers perform police-related functions by assisting clerical and sworn personnel with filing, tours, field searches for evidence and crowd control. In addition, explorers participate in educational and recreational trips. Many such trips involve visits to police agencies throughout California and the nation. The Los Angeles Police Department explorers have participated in camping trips to places such as Yosemite National Park, Big Sur and Sequoia National Park, where Forest Rangers provide the group with information regarding the field of conservation.

The Explorer Program keeps young adults off the streets, encourages youth in the community to look to police officers as role models, and instills in them discipline and purpose in life. As a result of the training and direction received as police explorers, many young men and women choose law enforcement as a career. Many former explorers are among the ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department as student workers, administrators, office workers, dispatchers, and police officers. Others have chosen to enter the Armed Forces and are now serving around the world as Military Police Officers and members of the Intelligence Corps. There is absolutely no City funds provided for this extremely worthwhile and rewarding program, all funds are raised by the participants and other community members.

For more information about the Explorer Program in your neighborhood or to obtain an application, call the number corresponding to your community below. If you don't know which community your neighborhood is in, go to the Community Map page.