Police Explorer Programs Fear Fox Lake Cop Scandal Backlash

By Kate Shepherd in News on Nov 9, 2015 7:50PM

Fox Lake Law Enforcement Explorer Post 300 (http://foxlakepost300.homestead.com/)

You're not alone if you hadn't heard of Police Explorers until the bombshell revelations that a Fox Lake police officer was allegedly embezzling money from the village's program to pay for porn, vacations and loans.

With about 70 to 80 Law Enforcement Explorer Posts for aspiring cops in Illinois, local program officials are hoping that any backlash from the case doesn't reflect badly on Explorer participants, according to the Elgin Courier-News.

The programs allow young men and women (usually teens up to 20 or 21 years of age) a chance to learn about different aspects of law enforcement from traffic stops to felony arrests to crime-scene investigations and much more. It also provides the departments with the manpower to assist with programs like the Special Olympics or tasks like directing traffic.

Thousands of young Illinoisans have gained valuable experience from the Posts, which are administered through the Boy Scouts of America's Law Enforcement Exploring subsidiary, whether they go on to join law enforcement or not.

"When you go to the police academy after going through an Explorer program you're at the top of the class, because you've gone over this stuff, you know all the information," 18-year-old Erik Kupraitis, a member of Gurnee Police Explorer Post 266, told the News-Sun. "It's just a refresher. Somebody who doesn't do an Explorer Post doesn't have any of the experience. They don't have any of the knowledge."

In an effort to be as transparent as possible, Gurnee police have invited the parents of their 20 Explorer participants to a meeting where they can ask questions about how the program operates or voice their concerns in the wake of the Gliniewicz scandal.

"People recognize this was one person," Mike Hale, scout executive with the Boy Scouts of America's Northeast Illinois Council, told the News-Sun. "I hope people realize there is value in this program and 99 percent of exploring leaders are very dedicated."

Cops are hoping that the case doesn't discourage children considering a law enforcement career. One South Elgin Officer who came up through the ranks as a participant in South Elgin's Explorer program, 33-year-old Brett Czechowski, told the Courier-News that, "It is upsetting, saddening and disappointing" to learn about the Fox Lake situation.

During his time in the Explorer program, he learned from great police role models who were the kind of cop he wanted to be- one who cares about the community.

"If you treat people with respect, they will give it back to you," he said to the newspaper.