The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
POLICE EXPLORERS
Torrington program teaches young people facets of the job
TORRINGTON » As a young man, Brandon Kelly took part in his hometown’s Police Explorers program.
Now, he serves his home, the city of Torrington, as a police officer, and serves as an adviser to a new generation of young people.
“I’ve been part of the program for almost 15 years,” he said. “It was kind of the cornerstone, when I became an explorer when I was 15 years old. It was a big impact on my life.”
He said the program taught him a lot about himself and gave him a lot of direction.
“I didn’t think down the road — here I am, a law enforcement officer, one of the advisers — and I feel like I’m giving a lot back to the community,” he said. “I’ve been born and raised here. I love this town. I couldn’t think of anything better to do.”
Kelly and Officer John Loucke provided an overview of the Explorers program to the Torrington-Winsted Area Rotary Club earlier this week.
The Torrington Police Explorers program, Kelly said, is open to young people between the ages of 13 and 21, including those interested in a career in law enforcement.
They take classes, train for physical fitness and learn various facets of the trade, includ-
ing criminal law and motor vehicle stops, then participate in competitions, where they demonstrate their skill in addressing realistic scenarios officers might face on the job.
“Every year, they learn something new,” said Kelly.
Funds raised for the program go to defray the cost of participating in an annual week-long academy, Kelly said.
In the last three years, he said, no participant has had to pay to be a part of the program.
They’re also active participants in the community, Kelly and Loucke said, by holding regular food and toy drives and volunteering at car shows and the annual Penguin Plunge.
The program dovetails with the department’s focus on being involved and bolstering relations with the community, Kelly said, and being approachable for city residents.
The young people that participate — nine in the current group after some graduated — are able to grow as people, and make friends through the program, Kelly said.
“It definitely does help the kids,” said Loucke. “They’re not necessarily the kids that are going to go play sports, or they may have an interest in law enforcement, so they come in the program, and it’s kids that may not get that social interaction somewhere else... and they come there, and they make friends.”
A homeschooled student was shy when she entered the program, but found confidence through participating, Loucke said.
“She came out of that shell — doing things, volunteer, having to speak to people out in the streets. You could see it in all these kids,” said Loucke. “Every one of them has grown being in the program.”
It also provides a way of helping at-risk young people, Loucke said, by providing an outlet they’re interested in, and an opportunity for adults to check on their grades.
According to Kelly, the studies involved in the program give students a discerning eye, able to delve past the face-value of what’s going on, and an appreciation for the profession.
“This is kind of a world that we’re in that not a lot people will see or understand, until you step foot with us,” said Kelly.
Loucke showed off his canine partner, Pharaoh, to the Rotary club members during the meeting as well. Pharaoh is a Belgian Malinois, Loucke said — a particularly large example of the breed. He participating in searching buildings, tracking and evidence recovery, among other activities.
He’s also his pet, Loucke said, and lives with him at home, along with another dog that flunked out of training.