Six Police Explorers with the Highlands Police Department from Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Middletown joined police explorers from across the state at the NJ Law Enforcement Youth Academy recently, an annual week long event.
The local youth were accompanied by Patrolman Alexander Braswell, the local Explorer Post Advisor, who served as assistant coordinator for the Phase 1 program at the Academy and Patrolman Kevin Connor, who assisted Phase 3 as a role player in various scenarios. During the course.
The teens, with four in the first-year program, one in the second, and one in the fourth phase are all part of the program which has been active in the Academy program 2013. The Explorer program itself has been active in the borough since 2007.
“ Our Police Explorer program for 14 to 18 year olds is second to none,” said Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon in praising both the officers and police chief who support and assist in the program. “It is such a great way for these teens to grow with their community and learn life tools. They made us all very proud.”
One Explorer took a 2nd place award for academic achievement for Phase 1, and another Explorer took a third-place award in the same phase.
Braswell said the local department under Police Chief Rob Burton holds the police academy program in high regard primarily because “it challenges our explorers mentally and physically to show them what they are capable of if they persevere. The academy aims to instill teamwork, pride, discipline and accountability into the explorers so they may apply those life skills to any path they choose.”
The local PBA in past years has held fundraisers including events and raffles to raise the funds so the Explorer families do not have to face the tuition costs alone. However, for the past two years, local businesses and generous individuals impressed by the caliber of the program and the enthusiasm of the would-be students have sponsored them for the program. Tuition for each Explorer for the Academy is $850. Both boys and girls at least 14 years of age and 8th grade graduates are eligible to become members of the Highlands Explorers, Braswell said.
Explorers in Highlands have a series of responsibilities as part of the program. These include responsibility for parking locations and safety during the Twin Lights Ride bike event. “This is one of the busiest days for traffic in Highlands and the explorers do a great job getting the cars parked in an orderly fashion in the designated parking areas for the event,” the advisor said.
Braswell himself is an example of the caliber of the Explorer program as well as the foundation it has set in his own life. A Highlands Police Officer for five years, he was a Highlands Police Explorer from 2013 to 2017 and saw himself how beneficial it was then and is rewarding to now In addition to Braswell, Sgt. Kevin O’Donnell and Patrolman Robert Alvator are also both former Explorers in this post.
Each of the officers now exemplifies that the Explorer program taught valuable life skills applicable to any profession, The officers cited the discipline, teamwork and personal accountability that are instilled in them and all say they continue to remain active with the program because for each of them, it guided them in their own pursuit of a career in law enforcement.
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