Explorer program lauded

By Fran Odyniec

Editor

It started out pretty much as an open-and-shut case a little more than two years ago.

That’s when Plain City Police Officer Brian Bowers, who had joined the department in 2008, decided he wanted to do more for the department and the community, and formed the Plain City Police Department’s Explorer Post.

Bowers didn’t want to see students fall victim to career indecision, especially in senior year of high school and the early years of college.

What got him to thinking about an Explorer post was the time he says he wasted due to his own career indecision. He had originally studied landscape design only to find that his true interest lay in law enforcement. So after the first quarter of his sophomore year in college, he changed course and headed into law enforcement.

The program offers young people between the ages of 15 and 21 the opportunity to get a first-hand look at what goes into a career in law enforcement. Through this summer, 26 Explorers have participated in the program.

Little did he think that when he started the Plain City Police Department Explorer Post in February of 2010 that it would reach a major milestone two years later. The post recently received the National Exploring Excellence Award for 2011 given by the Simon Kenton Council of the Boy Scouts of America in affiliation with the national Learning for Life career educati0n program.

In offering his congratulations to Bowers, Plain City Chief of Police Jim Hill said, “Your dedication toward the youth of our community is praiseworthy. What impresses me the most is that you do this voluntarily, on your own time on your days off.”

He added, “I watch the kids when they are around you and they show the utmost respect towards you and the program.”

“I feel pretty good,” Bowers said of the award in his typical understated manner.

Explaining the importance of the Explorer program, he said, “When I was in high school, I had no clue about a career. With this program, if a student has a clue about a career, we want to show them if this is the way to go and to build on what they come with to the program so as not to waste the four years of college.”

“Officer Bowers and the rest of the Plain City Police Department offer an excellent training program for young men and women interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement and they should be commended on their efforts,” said Ken Ruppel, work force development director of the Exploring Program at the Simon Kenton Council of the Boys Scouts of America in Columbus.

“To receive this award indicates that a program is well rounded and meets eight of the 11 objectives,” he added.

The Plain City post met those criteria which included training, two-deep leadership, program planning, program meetings, leadership, service project, committees and renewals.

An ongoing objective for the Plain City post is teamwork.

“Teamwork is huge,” said Bowers. “You don’t do it yourself. It’s about working with and helping a partner.”

He developed the Plain City post’s program around the student performance objectives used by the Ohio Police Training Academy in London. “These are the basics of policing,” he said. “But, we never place an Explorer in any danger or risk.”

Included in the Explorers’ curriculum are topics such as:

• History of law enforcement

• Patrol procedures

• Traffic stops

• Crime scene investigation/search

• Crowd control

• Criminal law and court procedures

When they are not in their education meetings or on ride-alongs with officers, the Explorers take on a more visible role. They have assisted in patrol duty at community events such as the Plain City Classic Car Cruise-In, Christmas Under the Clock, Heritage Days, and parades. Chief Hill calls their help in the department’s Safety Town event held this year during Plain City Elementary School’s Carnival “huge.”

Sam and Diana Emery, two of three triplet sisters, are on their way to Urbana University in a few weeks. Sam plans to major in criminal justice, while Diana is considering an education major as an intervention specialist. For the record, their sister Beth plans a career in nursing.

Sam, a criminal justice major and graduate of Tolles Career & Technical Center, decided to join the Explorers after Officer Bowers gave a presentation on the program.

“It’s more hands-on,” she said of the program. “You get to do ride-alongs and you see what to do in building searches and traffic stops.”

Diana, a graduate of Jonathan Alder High School, looked at the program as something different.

“I didn’t know anything about criminal justice,” she said. “I got to see what the field is actually like. There is a lot more behind than you think. I’m glad I decided to do it.”

Sam agreed with her sister.

“It helped me base my decision on my career,” she said. “This is something I want to do.”

Ultimately, Sam looks to duty as a member of a S.W.A.T. team or some aspect of Homeland Security.

But, in the meantime, she and her fellow Explorers will continue to get experience in helping officers keep the peace in Plain City.

For information on the Explorer Program, contact Officer Brian Bowers at (614) 873-2921.