Police Explorers: Coppell Police Explorer Post 605

About Law Enforcement Exploring

Law Enforcement Exploring is a non-profit organization created by Learning for Life, a division of the Boy Scouts of America. The program is designed to acquaint young adults (ages 15 to 21) with the nature and complexities currently facing our nation's law enforcement professionals. The training is as realistic as possible and allows each participant to guage for themselves if the Criminal Justice field is one they should consider as a possible career path. All Explorers are strictly volunteers.

Explorers provide assistance to the Coppell Police Department and the City of Coppell by volunteering their time at various community events or activities. Some of these activities include:

  • Assistance with natural disasters/emergencies
  • Child safety programs
  • Crime prevention programs
  • Crowd control
  • Festivals
  • Football games
  • Parades
  • Traffic direction

Explorers also attend weekly post meetings in order to learn about various law enforcement techniques and practices such as

  • Building searches
  • Crime scene investigations
  • Fingerprinting
  • Handcuffing
  • Traffic enforcement
  • And many more facets of the profession

Explorer Competitions

Police Explorers with AwardsExplorers train to compete against other Explorer teams throughout the area, state and even the nation. The Texas Law Enforcement Explorers Advisors Association (TLEEAA) holds an annual event that allows these teams to pit their learned skills against one another, with the top participants and teams receiving awards for their performance. In 2010, our Explorers brought home 2nd Place for "Best Overall Post," which is a huge accomplishment for such a new post. The post has continued to have great success and has gained valuable experience participating in the various competitions open to them. The 2016 TLEEAA Competition, Coppell Police Explorer Post Number 605 won the "Best Overall Post" and won the State Competition.

Explorer Academy

The Coppell Police Department holds a two-week "Explorer Police Academy" during the summer months. The Explorers are exposed to the life of a Police Recruit and what the life of a police recruit is like. Upon completion of this academy, officers from the police department sponsor a banquet dinner and present awards to the Explorers.

Ride-Out Program (Job Shadowing)

The Ride-Out program allows Explorers to ride along with a police officer and observe them as they work in the field. This is a way that Explorers can experience law enforcement first hand and gain a better understanding of the criminal justice system.

Qualifications to Join

Both male and female young adults are encouraged to join. To be considered, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Age: Minimum age is 15 years old, with the exception that a student who is 14 years old and has completed the 8th grade can be considered. The maximum age is 21 years old.
  • School: Be enrolled in school (High School or College) and maintain at least a "C" (70) or higher Grade Point Average (GPA).

Personal History

An Explorer cannot have a criminal record, to include arrests or convictions. Traffic violations do not disqualify an applicant unless it is obvious that he/she is a habitual offender. Each applicant is expected to avoid the use of illegal narcotics, alcohol or tobacco products, and be sound in their health and fitness. Anyone terminated from employment based on any type of theft or deception is also disqualified. Each candidate must pass a background investigation and maintain a neat/clean appearance. A candidate under 18 years of age must have parental consent to enroll in the program.

Costs

Police Exploring is free to join! Explorers must register with Learning for Life upon acceptance. Please contact the Post Advisor for information concerning any associated costs with participation in the Post.

Fundraising, Donations & Sponsors

The Post accepts financial support from the community it serves. If you would like to donate any money or sponsor the Post in any way, please contact the Post Advisor for details.

Post Meetings

Post meetings are held on Monday nights at 6:30 pm at Coppell's Life Safety Park located at 820 South Coppell Road, Coppell. The meetings usually last until 8:30 pm. There may be other activities scheduled; please check with the Post Advisors for any additional information.

For more Information, please email the Police Department.