The Flowery Branch Police Department has officially reinstated its Explorers Program after suspending it in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America, the Explorer’s Program was originally instated at the department in 2017. Open to local youths ages 14 to 21 interested in law enforcement, it allows participants to learn about the career path through interactive training and lessons with Flowery Branch Police Officers.
Senior Officer Jake Xayavong, lead advisor for the program said Explorers aims to help its participants obtain not only experience in the field but also encourage them to learn employability skills that can be applied to any career.
“They learn a lot about law enforcement in general, what we do, they come and train with us,” he said. “They develop leadership skills, they get interviewed like a real job, they do hands-on training. And, it benefits the community as well, because they volunteer their time helping us with community events, which they then get to log in their resume for their future careers.”
The department officially reopened Post 600 to recruits in May of this year.
Flowery Branch Police Chief Chris Hulsey explained in years past, the program has led to job opportunities within the department for those who stood out among peers.
“When we had the program, several years back, I knew of five or six participants that are in law enforcement today and other agencies,” he said. “That's a big accomplishment that they went straight from high school into this profession. So, that's what we're wanting to do is to promote that.”
The Explorers attend weekly meetings at the Flowery Branch Police Department on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. Now that the program is once again active, the department is fundraising within the community to support the post. On Thursday, September 7th, the recruits will be serving hamburgers at the Flowery Branch Farmers Market from 3:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. The proceeds from the cookout will help pay for a new uniform for the participants.
“I'm getting more youths that are interested, but they're wearing our full outfit, similar to us, but a different color,” Officer Xayavong, said. “It has our badge, but it says ‘explorer’ and they wear a full-duty belt as well. And the weapons on there, they're not real, but they're weighted to feel like a real weapon because they do similar training like we do.”
Officer Xayavong emphasized that though meetings have already begun, the program is still looking to recruit new members. All within the age range are welcome to apply, and applicants do not have to be Flowery Branch citizens to participate. Those interested in becoming an explorer are asked to contact Officer Xayavong at [email protected].
“Our Explorers are top-notch and highly motivated,” a post on the Flowery Branch Police Department's Facebook Page read. “The Explorers program is a fantastic way to expose our younger generation to the dynamic profession of Law Enforcement.”
