Local youth awarded big opportunities through JCPD Explorer program

In addition to protecting our community, officers with the Johnson City Police Department are dedicated to helping shape the future of law enforcement and leadership in our City. The JCPD Police Explorers Program offers youth a head start on preparing for a career in criminal justice.

The program is paving a path for Police Explorer Kamryn Miller. Currently, Miller is studying criminal justice at Northeast State Community College. She was named Local Police Explorer of the Year, and she also received the Sheryl A. Horak Law Enforcement Memorial Scholarship.

“The experiences and opportunities provided by the Explorer program are invaluable. The program has assured me that this is what I want to do with my life. During ride-alongs with Johnson City Police, I’ve seen their compassion and integrity in action. I want to have that impact on my community. I want to be a police officer with the Johnson City Police Department,” said Miller.

Those words make her father proud. Paul Miller is one of the devoted officers of the Johnson City Police Department.

“To see my daughter take an interest in law enforcement and knowing that she wants to make policing a career, thrills me,” Officer Miller said. “I love to see her passion for serving our community.”

The Johnson City Police Department Explorer program is a branch of the Boy Scouts of America. Through the program, Kamryn Miller took center stage in Nashville earlier this week, presenting to the members of the Tennessee General Assembly. On behalf of the Sequoyah Council, she provided an update on the State of Scouting in our region.

“It was a privilege to represent the Sequoyah Council and the JCPD Explorer program. Not many people get the opportunity to address lawmakers in our state capitol. It was an exciting experience, and some of the skills that I learned in the Explorer program gave me the confidence to do it,” Miller explained.  

JCPD School Resource Officer Erik Hilton leads the Explorers.

“As teens and young adults progress through the Police Explorer program, they develop critical skills that they can use throughout their lives,” said Hilton.

Teens and young adults interested in law enforcement and professions in criminal justice have the opportunity to experience what Officer Hilton and Explorer Miller are talking about. Applications are now being accepted for the Police Explorer program.

Explorers meet twice a month on Tuesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Municipal and Safety Building, 601 E. Main St., or at the Rick Collins Police Training Complex on Bull Rowland Boulevard.

Explorers learn procedural skills that cover traffic stops, crisis negotiation, domestic disturbances, and executing warrants. They will also gain an understanding of Tennessee criminal and traffic law.

To qualify for the Explorer program, applicants must be between the ages of 14 and 20, be in good standing with their school, and maintain at least a C in all classes. Anyone with prior criminal convictions is not eligible for the program.

Those interested in participating in Police Explorers should email Hilton at ehilton@johnsoncitytn.org.

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