Exploring the badge

For students interested in law enforcement, programs that give them insight into the career paths they could take are important. The Athens Clarke County Explorers Program offers local 14-20 year olds hands-on experience, mentorship and a look into the challenges they could face when dealing with suspects in different situations. Presenting participants with a vast array of situations for them to handle, the Explorers Program helps them find the path in law enforcement that speaks to them the most and offers them a deeper understanding of law enforcement roles.      

Founded in 1935, the Explorers Program was started for senior Boy Scout troops, introducing young men across the country to law enforcement and getting them involved with the community. While the program was expanding and becoming more established, the Explorers Program moved from being a branch of the Boy Scouts to becoming more independent and focused on teaching its participants about law enforcement after a survey about what youth wanted to see in programs outside of school was taken. In 1971, young women were eligible to join the program, making it a co-ed experience for young people wanting to know more about law enforcement. However as time went on, participation in the Athens branch started to drop,

The Explorers Program in Athens started small with not many resources provided for participants, leading to the drop of participation and soon the end of the program in Athens. However, in fall 2023, Sheriff John Williams decided to bring the Explorers Program back to Athens, this time better than it was in the past. After reaching out to Greg Schwartz with the Boy Scouts of America, they restarted the program with more resources than before.

“Law enforcement is a massive field. There’s lots of different career paths they could take, and this experience of being an Explorer helps give them an overview of all those paths,” Keith Sims, the Public Information Officer and social media event coordinator for the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, said. 

From being a detective, private investigator, police chief or working in forensics, choosing a law enforcement job can be difficult. With different skills to accommodate the wide variety of careers, the Explorers Program offers many different lessons and hands-on experiences for their participants, as well as working to improve the classes they offer.

“The classes and meetings that we’re offering, we’re working to make those more hands-on. So it’s not just somebody talking to them for two hours,” Sims said.

From virtual reality simulators, self-defense techniques and taking fingerprints to the University of Georgia bomb squad speaking to the group, the Explorers Program continues to incorporate new ways to enhance the experiences of their program. They make sure the activities are interactive and give students the opportunity to immerse themselves into simulated roles. 

“The virtual simulator was really cool. They played these scenarios and you would have to de-escalate the situation or figure them out,” Kaleb Wilcox, a 10th grade participant of the program said.  

Learning about the program from his mom, Wilcox thought it would be a great opportunity for exposure to law enforcement and to get a feel for what path he might want to take in the future. 

“It teaches us a lot about law enforcement and what they do, and it connects us with other kids in the program as well,” Wilcox said. “I’ve learned a lot about working together and communicating and how to protect myself and others.”

For those who don’t want to pursue a law enforcement career, the Explorers Program also provides valuable skills to participants who have other plans in mind. Maria Burton, a 17 year old participant, wants to become an ultrasound technician. By learning valuable skills that will teach her patience and how to stay calm in high pressure situations as a part of a team, she finds value in what the Explorers Program offers. 

“It’s beneficial for my career because I’m learning about discipline, attention to detail and effective communication, all of which are crucial in the medical field,” Burton said.

Another participant with a different plan in mind is 16 year old Mariah Carson. After she graduates she plans to study sociology in college. Though she does not have a career interest in law enforcement, she plans to use her degree in sociology to provide and give back to the community. Using her experience in the Explorers Program, the skills that she picks up and people she interacts with can help give her the point of view from the law enforcement side, helping her deal with situations she may come across when working with the community.

“The main thing I take from the program is the discipline aspect. I want to be a community worker and advocate, and because I’ll be working with the community, having that other perspective on different issues and controversies is helpful,” Carson said. 

From the perspective of the leaders working for the Explorers Program, watching the participants grow and get comfortable with what they are doing is the best part, no matter how they put those skills to use in their future career.

“ I’ve been able to enter our organization and able to see these students grow. They’re nervous or hesitant to speak or to interact when they come in, but as months go on you can see future leaders,” Major Eric Swift, manager of the Explorers Program, said.  

Along with developing the classes and meetings, the Explorers Program is planning to participate in local and national competitions with their participants, introducing them to new people and exposing them to other programs and presenting them to new opportunities that can expand on their skill set. 

“There are local agencies that are involved in competing against each other. Anything from investigating a traffic accident to an active shooter scene. You can see where your skill level is in regard to other Explorers and at the same time test those skills,” Swift said.

Taking into account what participants might be interested in, the Explorers Club will be trying to include different leadership opportunities for students, giving them a chance to take over and lead the group. 

“Hopefully next year, with the right structure, they can run their own sessions, like a sergeant lieutenant, have them do uniform inspection and take charge. A couple of them show interest in that,” Clarence Grier, Lieutenant at the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office in recruiting and outreach, said.

Whether students see themselves working in law enforcement or simply wanting to participate for fun and the experience, the Explorers Program offers many opportunities and skills to its participants and welcomes everyone from future enforcers to future doctors.

“I would definitely recommend this program to peers. It’s a great program for us to be able to get out and see more of the other side, and understand why they do what they do,” Burton said.