Rockville Centre youth learn workings of law enforcement

Members of the Rockville Centre Police Department’s youth program, Law Enforcement Explorers will aid auxiliary police Saturday with directing traffic during the annual village 5k and 10k runs.

The police explorers are made up of teenagers between the ages of 14 and 21 who have an interest in learning more about law enforcement.

The explorers program is run in each of Nassau County’s eight police precincts, though Rockville Centre is the first local police agency in the county to run their own explorer post. Jerry Chafetz, chief of the village’s Auxiliary police and one of the advisors of the program, said he first brought the idea of beginning the program to the village to Lieutenant Chris Romance, who enjoyed the idea.

“The program is sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America,” Chafetz said. “There is a regular curriculum that we follow. Last week we did some marching procedures and went through a tour of the station.”

According to Chafetz, the program originally began with six members at its original meeting in August and has increased to nine members since then, with one meeting every month.

“Some of the posts, like Post 1000 out of the first precinct, have about forty members,” Chafetz said. “They do all types of things, like competitions in marching, hostage situations, all different police scenarios.”

In past meetings, the explorers have received a course in first responder first aid and watched a movie regarding criminal drug use.

“It’s very informative for those that may want to go into law enforcement,” Chafetz said. It’s also good for college resumes. We’re very proud of the program.”