SPOTLIGHT ON RICHARDSON POLICE EXPLORER POST #761

The Richardson Police Explorer Post #761 provides great benefits to both the youth Explorers and the city and is an excellent example of the partnerships RPD has with the community. The purpose of the post is to teach youth about policing and why police do the things they do. Ultimately, the police department hopes that the Explorers will consider coming to work for RPD when they grow up, but they also want to provide youth with the tools to become outstanding members of the community and workforce.

According to Sergeant Kelly Pagel, RPD Explorer Post Leader, “The best and most positive part of having an Explorer Post affiliated with the RPD is being able to teach youth in our community about policing. I hope that we can teach the next generation to continue to partner with law enforcement. Our Police Explorers participate in training about policing but also help with community events. The Police Explorers can be seen at just about every COR event, such as National Night Out, Cottonwood Arts Festival, Gobble Hobble, Santa’s Village and Wildflower.”

Sergeant Pagel was a Police Explorer with another agency while she was in high school and college. She recalls, “As a Police Explorer, I learned not only about policing but also life skills. The choices I made growing up were different because of my involvement in the program. Exploring was also a social experience where I made lifelong friends.” In addition to Sergeant Pagel, RPD has multiple officers who were Explorers in RPD’s post. Three of them continue to participate in the program as advisors now and Assistant Chief Pewitt was a member of Post #761.