West Fargo Police Explorer Post Lets Youth Get a Taste of Law Enforcement

The program goes through the majority of what's covered at the police academy

WEST FARGO, N.D. — If you know someone who’s in high school or college who might be interested working in law enforcement, they can start exploring early.

The West Fargo Police Explorer Post lets young people get a taste of the field.

“Growing up in the field, it’s kind of hard field to turn away from when you’re brought up in it. I’ve kind of always known this was something for me,” Allie Sprecher, a member of the Police Explorers, said.

She says the program has helped her become more assertive.

“A lot of things I’ve learned comes back to confidence and knowing that you go into a situation, and it’s on you and you really have to step up. Coming into the program, I was really shy and wouldn’t volunteer for anything, but now I volunteer more, and I speak up more,” she said.

Explorers will get to experience a bit of everything from radio procedure to search warrants to use of force and much more. By the end, they’ll have covered the majority of what’s done at the police academy.

“Even if they take a program like this and learn they don’t want to be a police officer, it still gives them a good perspective on how and why we do things as officers. Some decide they don’t want to be officers after this, others find a different path within criminal justice, and some decide yes, this is definitely what they want to do. We consider them all wins,” Det. Travis Johnson of the West Fargo Police Department said.

When Explorers do scenarios, they wear a simulated duty belt that has all the tools a real officer would have, like a gun, baton, taser, radio, and handcuffs.

“Come in with an open mind be open to trying new things. It’s really intimidating at first, but I think if you just kind of soak it all in, it is what you make of it, and if you want to succeed you definitely will,” Sprecher said.

You can fill out an application for the program in person at the West Fargo Police Department or click here.