Tulsa Police: Law Enforcement Explorers Program Is Valuable Recruiting Tool

Young people interested in careers in law enforcement put their skills to the test Saturday in Tulsa.

The "Green Country Challenge" brought in folks from all over northeast Oklahoma and Kansas to compete in simulated real-world scenarios like crime scene processing, bomb threat investigations, search warrant service and burglary-in-progress situations.

It's part of the Law Enforcement Explorers program and Tulsa Police say it's become a valuable recruiting tool.

"We have had at least one explorer in all of the last seven police academies,” said Tulsa Police Training Director Ryan Perkins.

"You get to learn a bunch of stuff like handcuffing people and searches,” said Creek National Lighthorse Explorer Meagan Bartlett. “It's fun."

The Law Enforcement Explorer program is open to young people age 15 (14 if completed 8th grade) to 20, who have no prior arrests, no negative police contact and are in good health.