Schaumburg revives Explorer Program

Schaumburg-area teens thinking about a career in law enforcement can get an early taste of what it would be like.

Schaumburg police are reactivating their Explorer Program for those 14 to 21 years old who are considering becoming officers.

The department is spreading word about the rebirth of its Explorer post and will host an open house from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 27 at the station, 1000 W. Schaumburg Road.

The Explorer Program began as a Boy Scouts of America initiative but is now a vocational program for boys and girls through the Scouts' Learning for Life affiliate.

Among the activities are monthly training sessions on such topics as criminal law, CPR, accident reconstruction, drug and gang enforcement, firearms training, crime prevention, social services and investigations.

Schaumburg Officer Karen McCartney, one of four newly appointed Explorer advisers in the department, said the goal is to show participants the full range of activities.

Those serious about a police career also should know how much of it involves routine tasks -- not the constant excitement portrayed on TV, McCartney said.

But if they stick with it long enough and fulfill other requirements along the way, participants also will be permitted to join the Ride Along Program with patrol officers.

Though the youths will get to see what happens on patrol, there will be limits to their involvement, no matter how long they participate, McCartney said.

"We're not putting them in harm's way to teach them this," she said.

Applicants must live or attend school in Schaumburg.

However, other area departments already run active Police Explorer posts, including Des Plaines, Hoffman Estates, Lake Zurich, Park Ridge and Skokie.

Erin Bass, coeducational program director for the local Learning for Life council in Mount Prospect, said there are other Explorer posts aimed at teaching about other careers as well.

These include aviation, fire fighting and engineering. Plans are progressing to add journalism and real estate construction as well, she said.

For more information about Learning for Life opportunities, call (847) 824-6880 or visit the Web site at http://lflnwsc.nwsc.org.