LPD Explorers program gives students a look at work in law enforcement

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – For years, the Lincoln Police Department has used Explorers Post 575 to show interested students ages 14 to 20 what it’s like to serve and protect.

The nationwide program is partnered with Scouts BSA and Learning for Life.

LPD Officer Sara Prewett, an Explorers adviser since 2018, said they meet every Wednesday night and review various police training topics, skills and practices.

“They learn everything that a street officer would learn,” she said. “They learn anything from crime scene investigation to working disturbance calls.”

Prewett said the group even rents out buildings to train in just like officers do.

Police work is not the only thing the program is focused on. Students also learn life lessons.

“One of the biggest things that we teach in this program is leadership,” Prewett said, “and really how to take charge of a group of people and those sort of things and doing civic duties.”

Lincoln Southeast senior Konnor Gano joined after a positive interaction with an officer when he was quite young inspired a future career in law enforcement.

“That’s always made me want to kind of pay that forward, how he helped me,” he said.

But not every participant wants to work in law enforcement.

Recent Pius X grad Sean Rodrigo joined like his father, who is an officer with the San Diego Police Department.

Despite the family connection, he has another path in mind.

“My first idea is engineering,” he said. “That’s always been a big thing for me. And even though I’m not going to be an officer, this helped me build qualities and stuff that I can use as an engineer.”

Recently, explorers competed in the Capital Challenge, a competition hosted by the Topeka, Kansas, Police Department.

There, they went against 14 teams from five states in contests with a law enforcement theme.

“They had stuff like traffic stops, crime scene investigation, interviews, what you do every day,” Prewett said.

This year, the Explorers brought home a program record of eight trophies in categories such as crime scene investigation, active shooter and undercover operations to name a few.

Whatever career you’re considering, participants said this is a great way to make friends, learn some life skills, and gain a new respect for your local law enforcement.

“It’s just a great program,” Rodrigo said. “You get to do all sorts of cool stuff, learn about law enforcement. It really helps humanize law enforcement and connect you with them.”