Explorer post offers path to police career

Listening to Melissa Michael talk about her “kids,” you might think she was the parent of several teenagers.

“It’s almost like seeing your kids graduate from college,” she said. “It’s a little emotional to see them all go off.”

The comparison is apt, though Michael is actually Officer Michael with the Owatonna Police Department, and those “kids” she’s talking about are members of the Police Explorer post she advises with Det. Derrik Quinlan.

The Explorers mission is to provide young people interested in law enforcement with the opportunity to see if it’s a good fit.

“Most of them want to go into law enforcement,” Michael said. “Some are still trying to figure it out, but have an interest.”

The program concentrates on five aspects: career opportunities, life skills, character education, leadership experience and service learning.

The local post, comprised of seven young women and three young men, appear to be succeeding on all fronts.

Two teams of four competed at the state competition in April, taking home seven team and two individual awards.

Dietrick Piepho placed first in the police knowledge exam; Abigail Morris took third in the 5K run for females.

The two teams racked up a fifth-place finish in traffic crash; fourth place in arrest and search; third in interview/interrogation, second place in DWI/field sobriety; and three wins in burglary response; white-collar crime; and arrest and search.

It’s what they spent three hours every Sunday evening practicing for – and they practice it all.

“They don’t know what (scenario) they’re going to until 30 minutes prior,” Michael said. “In that time, they go over what might happen, then show up, just like a regular cop would.”

The teams ranged from first-year members to those who have been in Explorers for six years.

“We had a wide range of experience,” Michael said, “which I think really helped us a lot. We’re blessed with such good kids. We’ll be in doing a scenario, and the ones that are out waiting will work with each other on searching, handcuffing, interview techniques, because they want to do well.”

There are judges and role-players at each scenario; all are active or retired members of law enforcement.

“They worked so incredibly hard and we’re so incredibly proud,” Michael said of her team. “It’s not easy to get those awards – they compete against hundreds of Explorers.”

Police Explorers are open to students who have finished eighth grade, and are between the ages of 14 and 21.

“It’s a really good foot in the door for law enforcement,” Michael said, “but a lot have gone from being Explorers to being reserve officers to being CSOs (Community Service Officers). It lets them get even more exposure to law enforcement.”

Three of their Explorers are in college now, she said, “and one is just now going to be starting a career in law enforcement.”

That’s Madison Ziegler, who just graduated from Riverland Community College with a degree in criminal justice. She was hired by the Owatonna Police Department and started work Monday as a patrol officer.

“I was interested in a career path of law enforcement, but I wasn’t 100% sure,” she said. After meeting with Michael and Quinlan as an eighth-grader, “I fell in love with it.”

Though Ziegler is no longer officially a member of Explorers, she’s interested in staying involved – likely helping role-play in practice scenarios, helping out wherever she can.

“Quinlan and I talk about this all the time,” Michael said. “I’ve been doing this for seven years; Quinlan’s been doing it with me for about six years. We’ve had some of these kids their entire Explorer career.

“It’s been really awesome seeing them go from the shy kid who didn’t really want to participate – or was too afraid to say anything, but still kind of wanted to join in,” she said. “It really builds so much of their confidence just in everyday things, from being able to talk to people, to stand up for themselves.”

Quinlan, a school resource officer, “has seen some of our Explorers use some of the stuff they’ve learned in Explorers to help calm down situations. He’s seen that,” Michael said.

Ziegler is another example of that training.

“I think I have very good communication skills,” she said. “Learning how to talk to people is a really big thing – not just talking all the time, but also listening, understanding and trying to empathize with them.”

Still, Michael said, “they do a lot more than just show up to meetings and practice scenarios.”

The Explorers often help during parades and other events.

“We tell them, ‘This is your community, too. Let’s get out there and show them what we can do.’ They do a lot within the community,” Michael said.

The lesson wasn’t lost on Ziegler.

“I believe highly in community policing,” she said. “Building that strong bond with your community is something that I feel will take me a long way.”

Even with all of that training, there’s no college credit for Explorers who pursue a degree in law enforcement – yet.

“You never know what the future holds,” Michael said. “The stuff they train for in Explorers is the same stuff they train for in law enforcement skills, which is a requirement to be a police officer in Minnesota. They’ll know most of the statutes; it’s not going to be brand new to them, which is huge.”

The new Explorer classes in Owatonna will start up again in September.

“We’re ready to take more people in to check it out,” Michael said.

“It does teach them everything; not just confidence, but to be able to think things through and have a level head. Even if they decide law enforcement’s not for them, those skills are going to stick with them.”

Explore the Explorers

Email: Melissa.Michael@ci.owatonna.mn.us

Derrik.Quinlan@ci.owatonna.mn.us

Call: Law Enforcement Center- 507-444-3800