East Providence Teen Awarded at Youth Police Training Program

Participants in Police Exploring Academy gain law enforcement experience with local officers in week-long training

Rhode Island— The Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America recently held its overnight, week-long Police Exploring Academy in Narragansett, where 60 participants ages 14 – 20 gained law enforcement experience through training exercises conducted by officers from nine Rhode Island communities.

The academy is hosted by the Narragansett Council’s Exploring initiative, a career education program that provides experiences that help young men and women prepare for a meaningful career based on their interests. This year Lt. Pat McMahon (recently retired) ran the academy as Academy Director.

“The Police Exploring Academy is a challenging yet exciting week where participants get hands-on experience in what it takes to be a police officer,” said Lt. McMahon. “This year’s Explorers really gave their all. They learned discipline and structure, participated in real-life scenario drills, and gained practical experience that will allow them to pursue successful and rewarding careers in law enforcement. We’re excited to continue to grow our program, and I want to thank all officers who serve as Post Advisors and make this academy possible.”
Officers with Posts in Cranston, East Providence, Smithfield, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, Westerly and Woonsocket volunteered their time to teach Explorers policing skills, such as how to issue sobriety tests, safe weapon retention, handcuffing, traffic/accident reconstruction and more.
“This year’s Police Exploring Academy was the largest one yet. Each year, there is a growing interest in careers in law enforcement, and the Narragansett Council is proud to partner with our community’s police forces to capture the interest of young men and women and prepare them for successful futures,” said Tim McCandless, Scout Executive/CEO of the Council.

Several Explorers were recognized for their performance during the week, including:
Justin Maciel of the East Providence Post, Class Valedictorian

The Police Academy program started back up around 2008 to meet the needs of interested among local youth. Other Exploring programs include Career and Technical, Fire/EMS and Aviation. Many Explorers have graduated and gone on to pursue successful careers within their fields.

Patrolman Dean Waterman of the Westerly Police Department is a former Explorer who participated in the Charlestown Police Explorer Post from 2007 – 2011. He grew up to obtain a career in law enforcement and help create the Westerly Police Explorer Post 700. This year, he assisted in running the state’s Police Exploring Academy alongside Lt. McMahon.

“If it had not been for Lt. McMahon and the Charlestown Police Explorer Post, I would not be where I am in my career today. My goal is to pay it forward, the same way it was paid to me and, in the process, help the recruitment of Law Enforcement in 2018,” said Patrolman Waterman. “If one of my Explorers gets hired and has a successful career in Law Enforcement, then my job as an advisor is complete. I can’t thank the Boy Scouts of America and the Explorer Program enough.”

The Police Exploring Academy is held over one week, with several other training events occurring throughout the year. Interested youth can find more information by visiting their local police department in Cranston, East Providence, Johnston, Smithfield, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, Westerly or Woonsocket.

About the Narragansett Council: The Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America’s mission is to serve others by helping to instill values in young people and, in other ways, prepare them to make ethical choices over their lifetime in achieving their full potential. The Narragansett Council offers a program for boys and young men ages 6 to 21 and young women ages 14 to 21, serving nearly 14,000 in Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts, and Pawcatuck, Connecticut. For more information, please log on to www.narragansettbsa.org.