News Release
The Basic Explorer Academy immerses applicants in leadership development, community service, and law enforcement training.
HOULTON, ME – Houlton Explorer Post 1820 will conduct its annual “New Explorer Sign-Up” meeting on May 4, 2022, at the Houlton Parks and Recreation Building. This meeting is required for all prospective Law Enforcement Explorer applicants and will begin at 5:00 PM.
Houlton Explorer Post 1820 is sponsored by United States Border Patrol and located in Houlton, Maine. New applicants must be between the ages of 14 and 18, have completed the eighth grade by July 1, 2022, possess good moral character, and maintain at least a “C’ average in school.
Houlton Explorer Post 1820 was commissioned in 2017 and will be holding its fifth Basic Explorer Academy this summer. “The training isn’t easy, and it’s not for everyone,” said Lead Explorer Advisor Mark Phillips. “We set very high standards and hold the Explorers accountable to them.”
Despite COVID-19 shutdowns, Explorer Post 1820 has continued operating, although the 2020 Basic Explorer Academy was canceled. “The meetings have looked a little different, but we were able to conduct training and many community service projects. This program is as much about leadership development and community service as it is about law enforcement training. Being determined to find a way to contribute and carry on, in the face of adversity, is a lesson these Explorers should carry with them well beyond the program,” Phillips said.
Law Enforcement Exploring is a Learning for Life, Scouts of America Program. Involvement in the program requires attending meetings, participating in some overnight activities, and receiving basic/ advanced training geared toward a career in Law Enforcement. The ideal candidate will be interested in a law enforcement career, demonstrate an appropriate level of maturity, and be committed to regular attendance.
For additional information, contact Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Mark Phillips at Mark.Phillips@cbp.dhs.gov.