LA PALMA : Council Backs Plan for Police Explorers

An Explorer program for teen-agers interested in careers in law enforcement has been approved by the City Council.

The council unanimously endorsed Police Chief David Barr’s request for authorization for the program earlier this month. Barr told the council that Boy Scout executives have been working with the Police Department to help launch a city-sponsored Explorer Post.

Barr noted that La Palma formerly sponsored an Explorer Post, but it folded in the late 1970s because of declining interest among young people. In recent years, Barr added, there has been an increase in interest among teen-agers.

“Beginning about four years ago, we began to notice a resurgence of interest by area young people in Police Service Exploring, and just recently Boy Scout executives handed us a roster of 177 names of Kennedy and Cypress high school students who expressed an interest in Police Service Exploring in recent surveys,” Barr said.

He added that he does not expect all 177 to join the new post. He estimated that about 30 teen-agers initially will be involved in the program.

The council authorized Barr to spend up to $1,500 in drug-seizure-asset funds to start the Explorer Post. Barr told the council he expects the program to cost the city about $500 a year once it has been started. The annual cost also will be funded by money the city gets from seizing assets of convicted drug dealers, the council said.