Full Notification

March 20, 2013--The Redwood City Police Department is proud to announce that our Redwood City Explorer Post #836 was selected to receive the Pacific Skyline Council Explorer Post of the Year Award. The Post of the Year Award is the highest recognition available to an Explorer Post and is awarded to a Post that has shown overall excellence in youth programs and outstanding volunteer service to their local community.

Exploring is a coed, career education program for youth 14-20 years of age. Exploring, which is the career-based branch of the Learning for Life program, is designed to help teens explore various career options. Local Exploring groups, called Posts, are attached to a variety of career fields, but the most popular exploring programs surround Law Enforcement and Fire Services. Participants in each Exploring Post work with career professionals and get to participate alongside them in many of their professional activities. Our Explorer Cadet Program, POST #836, is chartered by the Exploring Division of the Boy Scouts of America and is coordinated in conjunction with the Explorer Program of the Pacific Skyline Council.

The Redwood City Police Department has an active police explorer unit called Cadets in our organization made up of our local youth who volunteer for assignments to support our police department. This year, the Redwood City Police Department’s Cadet Program was recognized for the dedication, determination, persistence, hard work and compassion shown by the youth volunteers who make up the unit. In the past year, participation in volunteer activities has doubled resulting in hundreds of volunteer hours given to further the quality of life for our Redwood City residents.

Our cadets routinely volunteer hundreds of hours for police events, PAL services, traffic details and internal police projects, but last year the Cadets went above and beyond the call of duty by initiating new ways to help our agency. Specifically, our Cadets organized a community project to identify areas targeted for graffiti and worked with our Investigations Unit to identify tag-specific perpetrator information. The Post organized a “Bulls-eye Challenge” for allied Explorer groups to compete using our facility. Our Cadets chose not to participate in the event to allow their sister posts the opportunity to have more time on the range. The Post also assisted the East Palo Alto Police Department with a very successful gun buy-back program in their jurisdiction. Additionally, Post Commander Gustavo Chavez and Sergeants Dylan Mendiola & Estrella Madrigal are “redshirts” or staff leaders in the 75-76th Explorer Academy.

The dedicated volunteers in our Redwood City Police Department Cadet Program exemplify the highest levels of leadership, courage, compassion and dedication to public service and we are extremely honored to work with the next generation of leaders in the Bay Area. Additionally, we extend our deepest gratitude to each and every Post Advisor, officer, support group, benefactor and volunteer that have contributed tireless hours and resources to help make the Redwood City Explorer Cadet Post 836 a success. Congratulations on winning this prestigious award.