ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — The Rock Island Police Department is relaunching its Police Explorer Program, offering a unique opportunity for local students aged 14 to 20 to explore careers in law enforcement.
The program pairs high school and college-aged students with police officers for hands-on training and mentorship in a supervised environment. It allows students to gain real-world experience in law enforcement, helping them decide if a career in this field is right for them.
Rock Island Police Chief Timothy McCloud highlighted the benefits of the program.
"If they even have a slight interest in law enforcement, this is a great opportunity for them to come here, learn from actual police officers, get real police training, and decide for themselves," McCloud said.
The program, which originally launched in 2010, was paused due to staffing shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it's back, offering students valuable experience and insight into law enforcement work.
K-9 handler Alex Bowman, who was once a Police Explorer himself, is excited to return to the program as a mentor.
"Me being a previous explorer and now having a say in it, we're gonna have some good training and fun stuff to do," he said. "With me being a mentor now and having the K-9, they’re gonna get to see some cool stuff."
Students like Shane Bigelow are eager to participate. "I’ve always had an interest in law enforcement," Bigelow said. "Hopefully, this will give me some experience and knowledge about it, and it’s a career I can get into when I’m older."
For more information, or to join the program, contact the Rock Island Police Department at 309-732-2611, or send them an email at policemail@rigov.org.