Training

[Isla_]

I posted a little while ago about motivating explorers to get out and do, I got to thinking.
What do you do to stay on top of your game?

What do you use Exploring for? LEO career? leadership skills? resume padding?

What is a typical month of "duty" like in your post?

How aggressive/passive is your post reguarding training, projects, details?

[letshearit4blue]

I use exploring towards and LEO career and to "toughen up".
As far as training, I read through the various study guides on learningforlife.org and try to learn from that. Also I have a copy of NYS criminal law so I study that too. That's mostly when I'm bored though, because looking at it too much gives me a headache.
On the side I do PT in the form of biking, running, horseback riding, and of course some weights and pushups/sit-ups.

A typical month is hard to say. All our details are for volunteering. You're not required to come. There is generally a post meeting every other week which can be anything from an overview on how K-9 teams work, to running a SWAT obstacle course, to taking a tour at the County Jail.
Details vary from month to month. Sometimes there are none, sometimes there are two, sometimes four. Generally on the weekends and no more than two a week.
Ride-alongs and compliance checks are held once or twice a year, generally on winter or spring break.

I feel our post is very lax on details, but it is expected that you attend regular meetings. Personally, I attend EVERY detail, mandatory and optional meetings, parties (yes, we have some from time to time ). Well, I take that back. I missed Shoot/Don't shoot training because my parents wouldn't let me go

[TPD Cadet]

I use it to get a better look at LE. Ive wanted to be a cop for a while, but exploring has showed me that I REALLY want to be an officer.

Typical month? 4 meetings, a few details. Helping out at the supply room. and about 4 ride-alongs.

[letshearit4blue]

I use it to get a better look at LE. Ive wanted to be a cop for a while, but exploring has showed me that I REALLY want to be an officer.

Typical month? 4 meetings, a few details. Helping out at the supply room. and about 4 ride-alongs.

FOUR r/a's?
Damn that is not fair.... can i join your post?

[Isla_]

letshearit4blue, sounds like you are making the best of a lazy post
Good job on the personal motivation

[JKooL]

FOUR r/a's?
Damn that is not fair.... can i join your post?

Haha - become an intern when you're in college. I do 2-3 ride alongs a week all summer long. However, I am not issued a uniform or equipment of any kind, that's one area where I'm jealous of you explorers.

[Isla_]

boy am I glad that our post didn't have limits on how often we could ride.....some of us almost lived there.....sometimes me and a friend would ride with one officer, finish their shift then hook up with an oncoming.....it was better than the alternative I suppose.....but back to the subject....training....typical month....etc

[letshearit4blue]

Gah I am soooo envious of you guys who get to ride all the time.
I may try to get an explorer post set up with my town (I'm with the county right now). We supposedly used to have one but for some reason or other it doesn't exist anymore.
Hopefully if one gets started up there will be more r/a opportunities
Mhmmmm that's me! Makin' the most of every lazy situation

[AnthonyM83]

I used explorers mainly to get life experience: interacting with professionals in the workplace, interacting with adults and children in the street, learning about stranger's problems/mistakes/life lessons, helping public, getting life advice from cops, interacting with my peers, leadership stuff, confidence building, a social group. Mainly personal development and fun.

The actual cop training comes at the academy.
If I had to come up with the primary reason the most active explorers did ride-alongs it'd be for social reasons, followed by the action. Realistically.

[AnthonyM83]

As far as staying sharp...listen to what your officers teach you, make it a part of how you do things, read forums like these, observe mistakes and tactics of other officers, practice your self-defense and a few other skills you might have to use in emergencies, have contingencies for all kinds of things happening on ride-alongs (not only emergencies), play the "what-if" game.

It really all depends on your level of involvement. I found myself doing stuff with officers that was pretty "deep" so figured I had to be a close to their level in knowing what to do as possible...which led to doing even more stuff, like a snowball effect. If you're involvement is more relaxed, then not much need to get very intense. If anything ever goes wrong, go home and think how you'll make sure it doesn't go wrong next time.

[Isla_]

http://www.learning-for-life.org/exploring/lawenforcement/

I thought I would post this link for the site I found while searching for some assistance for my former Advisor.

[letshearit4blue]

http://www.learning-for-life.org/exp...awenforcement/

I thought I would post this link for the site I found while searching for some assistance for my former Advisor.

yeah, thats what I was talking about
But man that traffic accident guide is LONG.

[AnthonyM83]

Oh, and if they have some of those "In The Line Of Duty" training tapes or others, they're helpful and give good reminders about officer safety.

[Isla_]

So tell me some things that you appreciate about your post advisors, or don't appreciate.

[letshearit4blue]

Hmmm things appreciated and not appreciated...
Any complaints I would have would be for our ranked explorers. I could list my complaints against them here but
A) It would fill an entire thread by itself, and
B) It wouldn't be that great for me if it got back to them.

No complaints for our main advisor. He's very nice, always happy to explain things, and is at almost every meeting and detail. Never seen him get angry.

In contrast, we have one more advisor, but I think he's mostly a sub (hasn't been to a whole lot of meetings, at least this year) and I'm not sure if he's coming back next year. He was in the navy and can be a bit intimidating before you get to know him. He takes the stuff we do very seriously and is the one generally the one reprimanding Explorers.
I think some of the rookies might be afraid of him.

To our advisors (who may read this): Seriously though, you guys are great and we really appreciate you taking time out of your day to help "coach" us in LE.