At as young as age 14 to as old as 20, they are allowed to do ride alongs with police officers, are placed in the center of intersections and told to direct traffic, and they act out scenarios while shooting air-soft guns, if they join the organization.

Lake Zurich Police Explorers of Post Two may be seen experiencing real, hands-on situations and exploring what law-enforcement careers they are passionate in, but they are in need of more Explorers

“When you hear [about Police Explorers], you think it’s going to be law enforcement with the police department, so it’s going to be everything about policing, but you learn things about swat and FBI agents, negotiating crimes, and dealing with different groups of people,” Sophia Minneci, senior and sergeant of Lake Zurich Police Explorer Post Two, said. “Explorers get to choose what career they want within the law enforcement community.”

A year ago, during her junior year, Minneci joined the program after Officer Frey, School Resource Officer, told her about it. Minneci claims she was sold on the idea, but “it took another push.”

“I actually got locked out of my work, so I had to have an officer come and sit with me until my boss could make it,” Minneci said. “[The officer] was an advisor on the explorer post so when he talked to me about it [and] gave me the entire view of it, that was when I figured I want to do this.”

After the experience and the “first-hand knowledge” from the officer, Minneci decided this was what she “wanted to pursue.”

“I didn’t really think I would enjoy it because I thought it was a club, but it is a commitment and it’s fantastic. It’s something you don’t realize you’re going to love so much until you’ve gone there and you are experiencing it. We’re so welcoming and we’re so inviting, at least it was for me. We’re there to help you understand if you’re interested in law enforcement.”

Covering a variety of different topics having to do with law-enforcement, Adam Young, Police Officer and assistant advisor of Lake Zurich Police Explorer Post Two, looks for specific qualities when recruiting for the program.

“We look for people between the [right] ages, so young adults. These are people that are looking to see if police work is what they want to do. A lot of them want to be criminal justice majors in college and want to see what exactly the police do,” Young said. “They don’t have to be from in Lake Zurich. As long as they can make our meetings every other Tuesday night, 6:30-9, then they’re eligible to come.”

The post is looking to take newcomers, but is also selective and, after four meetings, decides if interested students are right for the responsibility of the job.

“[The program is selective] because of the responsibilities and the benefits that [the Explorers] get,” Young said. “A lot of our explorers are on a first name basis with our police officers and a lot of police officers have a mentorship role with the Explorers. That’s very difficult to get. If you’re dedicated and you prove yourself, recognition is something [the individual] explorer could [earn].”

The program is selective because of the unique opportunities that the Explorers receive and are exposed to.

“They’re allowed to do ride alongs with the police officers so they’re in the squad car and they’re witnessing things that the general public wouldn’t be allowed to witness,” Young said. “We  want to make sure [they are] people that understand responsibility of our job and responsibility of being allowed to ride with us.”

Taking things seriously is another aspect of the responsibility when acting real-life scenes out.

“We usually do training [where] we put the kids in positions. We’re trying to teach leadership and teamwork and communication skills, but we’re doing it in the realm of police work and situations that a police officer might be in,” Young said. “We’ll have role players [and] we try and switch up the venue so it’s more exciting for[the students].”

One benefit the explores get is in going to Nationals, a Police Explorer conference with competitions.

“We go for the experience. Our explorer post, the one thing they had told us was that there are competitions and [they] want [us] to do good, but even more we want you to have fun, we want you learn new things, and we want you to explore your options,” Minneci said. “A lot of times when people hear law enforcement they think of just police officers, and that’s not necessarily the only thing that you can do with it.”

Going to Nationals may have been a wonderful experience, but it is not the only reason Minneci wished she knew about the police explorer program sooner.

“I totally wish I [knew about this opportunity earlier] because I have family who is interested in, who have law enforcement backgrounds and I knew I was interested in it,” Minneci said. “I didn’t know that there was such a big outlet that I could go to. It’s like a job. I wish I had learned about it sooner because it has definitely changed who I am and how I view myself, in a good way. It’s made me a very strong person, which I wish I had figured out sooner […], but I’m here now [and] it’s great.”

In the year and a half that Minneci has been participating in the Police Explorer Post, she has been promoted from an Explorer to being on the Command Staff.

“It means so much to know that the work I put into it paid off to help the post and further,” Minneci said. “It validates how far I’ve come. It’s made me more confident to [know that I have] deserved the title of a sergeant and deserve to proudly wear the bars or your on [my] uniform.’  So, now, other people know that [I] earned what [I] got. It means way more than I think anybody can understand.”

After watching explorers success, Young wishes he had the same opportunity when he was their age.

“I was never an explorer growing up and I wish I was, because I wish I had the skills that these guys had,” Young said. “We had one of our old Lieutenants — he just got into the Wisconsin Police Academy — and he says a lot of this stuff I already know, it’s just filling in the bits and pieces. I’m better prepared to go to the Academy because of the Explorer program.”

Minneci claims that she has learned more than just law-enforcement skills from this program.

Minneci said, “It helps getting the knowledge that you need not just for law-enforcement, but also for life in general: being a self advocate, being a leader, being your own person, and especially being able to work with others.”