Explorer Post

[mpdexplorer]

Hello ,

This is just an overview of my post and my perspective of it.

What do we do?

We typically are busy year round with about 5-10 details per month... however I do not mind since it will get me a jumpstart in my career into law enforcement. it may also be more than that since our post as a whole contributes 7,700 hours each year and being that there are around 50 of us... 50 divided by 7,700 shows our individual hours contributed. I myself have contributed 247 hours of the year 2008 and i have been in the post about 12/03/06 and i wouldnt doubt that i have done more. we have such details as x-mas toy drive, bike rodeos, and the AMGEN Tour of california where we (explorers) blocked off intersections for the most elite ... IE Lance armstrong .

What i do myself...

i myself am a commander so i have to handle everything.... i have to keep all my command staff in check, the explorers in check to make sure their attendance and behavior is up to requirements, the post or officers call beat they will handle when we have an event and also minor financial issues and our gear ... such as radios, ...

to start off i will talk about my command staff...

Command staff has three squads... Squad A B & C, each squat consists of a corporal and sergeant, they have to make sure there people are showing up and are in good standard with the post, for example attendance and behavior

my command staff consists of 3 corporals 3 sergeants 2 captains 2 commanders. for each of the command staff each rank has its own duties.. corporals duties are to call and notify explorers of an event that is coming up and to make sure they have a base of structure with their squad and to be posted just like an explorer but they are the head hancho...

The sergeants are normally just going to supervise the corporals and its squad explorers... they are also the decision makers.. as a commander i will not intervene in their style of work... for example if i have them go watch explorers at a certain post... they can decide to move explorers or in which anyway they want to do something.. that is fine except when i state other wise..

The captains... they are just a supervisor position but i use them as the people who sit at the desk and do rotations for all the explorers corporals and sergeants... they will make sure everyone gets in their lunch and has necessary equipment before being posted.....

Now my position as commander... i personally just like to be on the low.. I delegate my responsibilities down to my command staff and they handle it with my style of doing it... I also have duties such as making sure everyone is doing what they are told and to be able to be an a** when i have to ... however i like to enjoy my time with them.... i love the position but sometimes it is alot on my hand being only 17 years old.. i take it seriously and i just look at my future and i realize this is easy compared to being a police officer...

lastly how we get money/finance...

We do not use tax payer money.. our post earns its own money and we save the department money by handling events that they would of have to such as parades, amgen tour of CA, and others... in the parades alone we save the department from having to call in 10-20 officers for overtime to cover those streets... we get money by working large details such as golf tournaments in pebble beach ... that is a huge money maker ... we make $13,000 in 5, 18 hour days...

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for some clarification i need to define the word posted which is used in our explorer post... Posted is to be assign an area to handle ... some examples at parades you can be posted at 1 and A street.. that is your area.. also there is a huge event we do that is called the AT & T Golf tour... you can have a whole post which cna consist of 5- 15 explorers which corporals and sergeants are in charge of


ANY MORE QUESTIONS PLEASE ASK!!!!!!!!!!

[wantsabadge]

Nice, you make your job sound easy though; maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be in a large posting maybe.
I’m a Capt. with a combined post, police fire and EMS, yes it was me that posted the thread a wile ago my lame attempt at C5 work, I supervise 20 explorers and three sgts, no current Lt, now I wish I had the time to be able to "over see" things at events, heck I wish that I could still work events or find time to ride. I do everything you can think of, write policy, make reprimands, discipline boards, manage the finances of the post, maintain a master book with all hours in it, watch over all major equipment issuance, serial number all new equipment, write monthly reports that go to the chief of police and fire, make videos for the post for recruitment, organize three training’s a month police fire and ems that are new but still emphasize on what they already learned. oh and manage another project that involves the linking of another town with our post but they will fly our colors and there dept. will sponsor them to come to our post, a whole lot of admin stuff, to the point that they gave me my own office at the station with a computer and crap. But its an experience, I like what I do just wish it was a bit more fun, but you get out what you put into it. I've already proved myself to the people I work with and I gained their respect. That’s all you can ask for as an explorer

[mpdexplorer]

Nice, you make your job sound easy though; maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be in a large posting maybe.
I’m a Capt. with a combined post, police fire and EMS, yes it was me that posted the thread a wile ago my lame attempt at C5 work, I supervise 20 explorers and three sgts, no current Lt, now I wish I had the time to be able to "over see" things at events, heck I wish that I could still work events or find time to ride. I do everything you can think of, write policy, make reprimands, discipline boards, manage the finances of the post, maintain a master book with all hours in it, watch over all major equipment issuance, serial number all new equipment, write monthly reports that go to the chief of police and fire, make videos for the post for recruitment, organize three training’s a month police fire and ems that are new but still emphasize on what they already learned. oh and manage another project that involves the linking of another town with our post but they will fly our colors and there dept. will sponsor them to come to our post, a whole lot of admin stuff, to the point that they gave me my own office at the station with a computer and crap. But its an experience, I like what I do just wish it was a bit more fun, but you get out what you put into it. I've already proved myself to the people I work with and I gained their respect. That’s all you can ask for as an explorer

thats really great at what you do... btw can you post or message me your recruitment video i am interested in doing one for my police department though they are really strict on what i can do such as naming out my police department.. anyways, you do alot of work man... congrats im sure you are ready to be incharge of the post!!

also it does seem you do alot of paper work and hard work... how ever i delegate that to my captain ... turns out you are one too!! haha. anyways on your details / events that your post works what is a big event you work and how do you as command staff handle it

[District B 13]

A good Commander leads by example. Try doing some work sometime instead of sitting back and having others do it. It won't look very good at an oral board when they ask you what you've done and all you can tell them is: "I had my people do this and that".

You need to get over yourself a bit and lose the "Commander" attitude.

[mpdexplorer]

A good Commander leads by example. Try doing some work sometime instead of sitting back and having others do it. It won't look very good at an oral board when they ask you what you've done and all you can tell them is: "I had my people do this and that".

You need to get over yourself a bit and lose the "Commander" attitude.

So you want me to do all the work instead? Please provide examples of how I can be a better commander.

I try to view my self as a Patrol Supervisor .... what does he do .. thats the way i rule my rank. How can i be better sir?

[SSD]

Delegation? Oooh that sounds nice! Maybe once we develop a full-rank structure where the Sergeant is not the highest rank in the post they could experiment with this alien "delegation" which you speak of.

[District B 13]

md,

You can "be better" by first acknowledging that you have zero rank over anyone. You are in an Explorer Post, made up of volunteers who CHOOSE to follow your "orders". You want to understand how to do your job? Look at the Police Officers and rank structure at the station and UNDERSTAND how they work and why they have those positions.

You are NOT a "Patrol Supervisor", you are an Explorer. Perhaps a way to learn how to lead is to swap your jobs out once a year, giving each member a chance to "lead". If this is how your agency runs the program, they are not doing anyone any favors having someone "in charge" who sits back and orders others to do his bidding.

Part of being a leader is to show the members that you will step in and assist where and when it's needed. That means getting your butt out of a chair and working. You seem to be enamored with rank. Lose that thought pattern, quickly.

[10-19]

I've never understood the brouhaha that some explorers get with their "titles" and "supervisor rank" when in reality they are standing around at events and not capable of doing much besides being an extra set of eyes and ears with a radio. It also irks me when explorers make it seem as if explorers are an adequate substitute to real officers during an event. Maybe that's why I'm my post's "Commander".

[SSD]

md,

You can "be better" by first acknowledging that you have zero rank over anyone. You are in an Explorer Post, made up of volunteers who CHOOSE to follow your "orders".

While I agree with the majority of your post, I have to say as per many dept explorer policies (which were written by a Deputy or Officer undoubedly, and approved by the Sheriff/Cheif) including my own, Rank is established and chain of command etc. must be followed. This isn't up to the explorer and in most cases their position is not their choice either.

Again, I agree with the rest of your post.

I've never understood the brouhaha that some explorers get with their "titles" and "supervisor rank" when in reality they are standing around at events and not capable of doing much besides being an extra set of eyes and ears with a radio. It also irks me when explorers make it seem as if explorers are an adequate substitute to real officers during an event. Maybe that's why I'm my post's "Commander".

I'm assuming your post has never had to direct traffic either? I mean, thats a job for an officer, right? Or, answering non-emergency phones at a station. Thats something an officer does too (here atleast). Obviously not everything should be interchangable, nor am I in any way attempting to say an Explorer is equal to an officer but when you have able-bodied, competent people willing to do a task(and do it correctly) which DOESN'T require sworn-personnel and then NOT charge for it, why not utilize it?

[District B 13]

SSD,

They choose to follow the "orders". They are Scouts. The "Commander" has no lawful or legal authority over them. My point was to MD to get off his high horse and do some work and lead, not dictate.

[mpdexplorer]

SSD,

They choose to follow the "orders". They are Scouts. The "Commander" has no lawful or legal authority over them. My point was to MD to get off his high horse and do some work and lead, not dictate.

You probably don't realize the Explorers is a Para-Military organization and you say they volunteer to listen to my orders? So the Reserve Police Officers are volunteers so they can voluntarily listen to ranked officers? ..

BTW, On event I am there working a post with them I do enjoy that.

[mpdexplorer]

Delegation? Oooh that sounds nice! Maybe once we develop a full-rank structure where I as a Sergeant am not the highest rank in the post I could experiment with this alien "delegation" which you speak of as opposed to this forced micro-managing

Yes make sure you get the chain of command in, .. also PM back

[Jessyca]

District B 13,

I don't know how familiar you are with the Explorer program. But, one of the things my post teaches is how a typical "paramilitary" chain of command works.

Sure, everyone is a volunteer, and there is no legal authority there, but it is useful to know how the a chain of command system works.

[wantsabadge]

You probably don't realize the Explorers is a Para-Military organization and you say they volunteer to listen to my orders? So the Reserve Police Officers are volunteers so they can voluntarily listen to ranked officers? ..

BTW, On event I am there working a post with them I do enjoy that.

OH NO!!!!!!!HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!!!!

Explorers and Reserves are two totally different things, yes an explorer post is paramilitary but that is there for "structure" and to give the impression to explorers what it is like in the real world of LE. Remember what Exploring is all about?? TO provide a general idea to the lay-person what it really is like in that particular job.

Now just to put it out there what i have learned from my experiences believe me I was ‘one of those explorers" who thought i knew it all and ruled over others with command regulations and orders, but the one thing you will find out quick is that, sure you may get results from doing that, but the quality of the results may be poor, and you probably wont have the respect of your peers or those under you, also when one is in this mind set they tend to come off cocky, and can any one guess what ****es off a cop most?......... a cocky explorer.

in order to become a better leader, one must have the respect of those under them, they must not be respected out of fear, but rather feard for their respect, ..... i think thats what i ment to say......

just abit of advice here, sure one can sit back and be a “patrol supervisor” but what does this come off to others as? A abuse of power maybe? What will the explorers under you think? That the commander never does anything just gives it to the Capts? Or Sgts? If you want to be a better leader, take the time to get “down and dirty” do it your self, when at an event do what your explorers are doing or relieve them for a hr or so, teach what you do to others that way when you do have to pass something down the person knows how to do it and what your standerds are. If something isnt working then chang it up, wise man once said “crazy is doing the same bloody thing over and over again and expecting a different result”

Just to sum it up “Leadership is about behavior first skills second”

[SSD]

SSD,

They choose to follow the "orders". They are Scouts. The "Commander" has no lawful or legal authority over them. My point was to MD to get off his high horse and do some work and lead, not dictate.

Reasonable enough, I saw what you were getting at as I mentioned before I agree with what you said. You are right that they choose to follow the orders and the higher echelons have no legal authority over them, but of course the similarity exists that if they choose not to follow the commands, they are also choosing to exclude themselves from the post in the same way that if you declined to follow your Sergeant's orders you would most likely be canned or atleast have a few days on the beach.

Thats all I wanted to say or "correct" about what you said. I don't want to come off as argumentative but it seems to me atleast that the para-military structure of the Explorers does indeed have to be followed by every post member who wishes to continue his/her participation.

You probably don't realize the Explorers is a Para-Military organization and you say they volunteer to listen to my orders? So the Reserve Police Officers are volunteers so they can voluntarily listen to ranked officers? ..

BTW, On event I am there working a post with them I do enjoy that.

Reserves are not the same thing as explorers. As District B13 mentioned, within the post they have a very legal rank structure which if not followed could potentially result in charges pressed against the offender. Reserves would not exist if they could do whatever they wanted. They volunteer too, yes, but beyond that there are no similarities.


The chain of command in Explorer posts is as mentioned earlier is primarily in place to familiarize the Explorers to the concept of a chain of command so one can comprehend it if they decide to proceed into LE as a career. An Explorer can choose to disobey a command and the worst that can happen to them is termination. A LEO who chooses to disobey a lawful command risks everything(Including Reserve LEO's).