Teens Get Close Look at Police Work

Twice a month, about 25 teen members of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Explorer Program get an in-depth look at law enforcement.

For two hours the young people meet with deputies at the east county station. The program, affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, is conducted with military precision.

“Everything is designed to give them a taste of law enforcement,” Deputy Larry Jarvis, a program advisor, said.

Just like the Sheriff’s Department, the program has ranks. The lowest are the probation Explorers, who have not attended the program’s three-week academy during the summer. After attending the academy, the teens become Explorers and can then be promoted to senior, sergeant and lieutenant.

The Explorers ride along with deputies during patrol shifts. They provide support for the Sheriff’s Department in such activities as controlling traffic for special events. Although the program requires a serious commitment from teens, it insists that family and school come first. Explorers must keep a C grade point average in school and turn in copies of report cards. There is no fee for the program, but applicants are subject to an extensive background check and are required to wear crisply pressed uniforms for drills and training.

For probationary Explorer Elizabeth Flavin, who has been in the program for eight months, this is a test to determine if law enforcement is a career she wants to pursue.

“I was thinking about becoming a cop,” the 16-year-old from Thousand Oaks said. “I like the program a lot. It has made me want to become a police officer. I like the traffic details. I like the kids in it, and I like helping people out.”