Explorers helping to make PC safe

Thursday, June 10, 2010

By Gary Weaver

The Plain City Police Department’s Explorers program has been up and running since February and has six members along with mentors Officer Brian Bowers and Officer Phillip Greenbaum.

The kids, ages 15-18, are getting more than just the classroom angle of police work.

The Explorers include: Ryan Winkler, Adam Stone, Danny Guerena, Nate Will, Michael Chafin and Thomas Robinson.

Just a couple of weekends ago, at the Heritage Days festival, Explorers Winkler and Guerena helped the department by manning the crosswalk and crosswalk bridge from the Der Dutchman parking lot to the festival site. The boys were ecstatic with the responsibility that they had shouldered.

“It was really fun and exciting,” said Winkler, 15. Guerena, also 15, added: “We never thought we’d get to do this kind of stuff.”

And how.

Plain City Police Chief Jim Hill has established the Explorers (a program under the auspices of The Boy Scouts of America’s Learn for Life program) as a community outreach program. It is spearheaded by officers Bowers (it was his idea) and Greenbaum, who volunteer their time to the program; donations are accepted for field trips.

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