The Los Angeles Police Explorer Program was established in 1962, it has been a very successful youth program. It now operates as a "Learning for Life" program out of the Office of Operations, Community Policing and Youth Programs Section. The purpose of the Explorer program is to provide special training to the youth that are preparing themselves for a career in law enforcement.
These are the following goals for the Explorer Program:
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 through 20 years of age
Have at least a 1.5 grade point average
Have no record of serious arrests or convictions
Complete a LAPD Explorer Application
Obtain a medical examination
Register with Learning for Life
Attend and graduate from the Explorer Academy
Maintain good moral character
Demonstrate a willingness to serve and participate in explorer activities
Explorer Academy
The Los Angeles Police Department's Youth Programs Unit coordinates a 96-hour Explorer Recruit Academy. We are now accepting applications for the next Explorer Academy beginning June 14, 2008. 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.
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 drill competitions as well as educational and recreational field 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. In addition, many former explorers have used their skills and knowledge that they have obtained and applied it to various career professions that are not law enforcement related. Some of these include teachers, social workers, nurses, doctors and business management. There are absolutely no City funds provided for this extremely worthwhile and rewarding program, all funds are raised by the participants and other community members.
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.
For more information about the Explorer Program in your neighborhood or to obtain an application, call the YSO number corresponding to your community below. If you don't know which community your neighborhood is in, go to the Community Mappage.
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