More than 100 young people will converge on the Richmond Police Training Academy this Saturday, April 2, for a state competition among Police Explorers posts. The event is from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the culminating awards ceremony at 5:30 p.m.
“As home to Explorers Post 610, we are proud to host this competition to test the skills, knowledge and agility of young people who have shown an interest in policing,” Chief Bryan T. Norwood said. “Hopefully this inspiration will become a law enforcement career aspiration.”
The Virginia Law Enforcement Explorers Association, of which Richmond Police is a member, holds the competition to test members of Police Explorers posts from jurisdictions across the state in four areas: Active Shooter Response, Unknown Risk Traffic Stop, Officer Down Rescue and a Police Exam. The explorers also will take on an obstacle course set up for the event. In addition to members of Richmond Police Explorers Post 610, explorers from Virginia Beach, Petersburg and Danville are expected to participate.
Richmond Police Explorers Post 610, which operates on a rank structure similar to law enforcement and the military, is a worksite-based program of Learning for Life, a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America, for young men and women ages 14 to 20. The program is designed to provide career opportunities, mentoring and life skills, with an emphasis on exploring professions in policing.
“Through Explorers I get to see what an officer really does. I see Richmond Police trying to help the community,” said Explorers Captain Franklin Martin, who attends George Wythe High. “I’ve always wanted be a police officer when I grow up. Now I see that’s really possible.”
Members of the media are invited and encouraged to attend the Explorers competition at the Richmond Police Training Academy, 1202 W. Graham Road.
