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Pasco Explorers take first in state contest
By COLLEEN JENKINS
© St. Petersburg Times, They knew they were No. 1. Five Pasco Sheriff's Explorers wrote "#1" on their hands with different colored markers before they participated in the 10 events of the 2001 Florida Association of Police Explorers State Competition in Tampa last week. "That helped out a lot," said Dustin Roy, the group's 19-year-old captain. The tactic worked well enough to earn the team first place out of the 28 law enforcement Explorer posts competing at various locations around Tampa from June 24-30. After coming in second place last year, the team members said this year they were eyeing the top spot when the scores were announced. "I was kind of sitting on the edge of my chair hoping the second place team wasn't us," Roy said. "When I heard the second place team, I jumped up and said, 'Yes!' " The Explorers program offers teenagers insight into what a career in law enforcement is like. Explorers meet weekly to learn about the profession, and they also are allowed to ride along with deputies for firsthand experience. The five Explorers chosen for the state competition practiced six days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the past month to prepare for the competition. Their adviser, Cpl. Tim Spitzer, gave them possible crime and emergency scenarios to test how they would react. During the competition, the group members were quizzed on their skills in various areas, including traffic stops, crime scene investigation, burglary, first aid and crisis intervention. Each scenario took about an hour to complete. The teams were judged on officer safety, teamwork, communication, police procedures, investigation and demeanor. The Pasco group received perfect scores on the bomb threat and search and arrest scenarios. "Teamwork was the big thing," said Justin Libecap, 18. "Everybody would have a piece of the puzzle. Everyone had to do their part." They all plan to use this rigorous training for careers in law enforcement. Roy and Mark Eastty, 19, are heading to the police academy in January. Libecap will attend Pasco-Hernando Community College on a baseball scholarship this fall and plans to major in criminal justice. Lisa Jones, 18, will join the security forces of the U.S. Air Force in September. John Eanes, 17, has one year left at Hudson High School and plans to attend the police academy eventually. They all agreed that working together in this competition will benefit their future training. "I'm learning everything you need to know to be a law enforcement officer," Roy said.
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