Topeka Police Explorer Post

Our Cadets helped out with the annual Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony last night!

This past week our Cadet TAC Team traveled to Chandler, Arizona to compete in the Chandler Tactical Competition. This was our third time attending this competition which is by far one of the toughest competition in the Explorer Arena.

Our Cadets competed against 52 other teams from the region in 8 total events ranging from Hostage Rescue to High Risk Car Stops. The Cadets worked extremely hard for the past several months to prepare for this competition and at the end, they brought back 2nd place in SWAT Fitness and 3rd place in Narcotics Raid.

Let's recognize the Cadets who represented the TAC Team

-Major B. Tinoco
-CPT L. Kampsen
-LT. A. Martinez
-CPL Z. Barranco
-CPL T. Patel
-CPL. S. Rodrigo
-Cadet J. Morles-Bermudez
-Cadet I. Brobst

The Advisors are beyond proud of the team’s accomplishments and the dedication they demonstrated during this trip! We appreciate the hard work you put in! Congratulations!

Do you think you have what it takes? 😎

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Our Explorer TAC Team traveled to Chandler, AZ this past week to compete in the Chandler Tactical Competition. This was our second opportunity to attend, Chandler’s annual Tactical Competition, a 25 year running competition. Our Explorers competed against 52 other teams from Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Minnesota, and Nevada.

The Explorers have worked extremely hard for the past several months to prepare for this competition and hard work pays off. They are bringing home new hardware to be displayed in their case.

Here’s the full list of awards:

• 3rd place Vertical Assault
• 3rd place Drug Raid
• 5th place Downed Officer
• 3rd place Advisor Male Obstacle Course
(SGT Kevin Schulz)

To say that the Advisors are proud of the team’s accomplishments is an understatement. Our newly assembled 6 person TAC team exhibited pride, leadership, compassion, enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and honor while representing Topeka’s Explorer Post #7721.

Congratulations to the 12 new Explorers on successfully completing our 10-week Basic Course (Explorer Academy). Very proud of your hard work and dedication. Job well done to each of you whom graduated, promoted, and for earning service stars.

Our explorers had an amazing time last night giving back to their community by helping out in the 7th annual Public Safety Trunk or Treat!🎃

Our explorers demonstrated their hard work and dedication during their trip to Colorado. They sure didn't come back empty handed!🏆

Let's take this time to congratulate them for their performance!

1st place - Traffic Stop
3rd place - Domestic Violence
3rd place - Warrant Pickup

Meet our explorers who will be representing the Topeka Police Department in Colorado this weekend.

Explorer LT. Schulz
Explorer SGT. Tinoco
Explorer SGT. Kampsen
Explorer McCullough

Let's bring back some hardware guys! 🏆🏆

Tonight we celebrated the graduation of four of our basic course explorers! These young men and women have shown their dedication to this program for the past several weeks earning them the privilege to wear this uniform. Let us take this time to congratulate them for their hard work and achievement!

If anyone ages 14 to 21 years old interested in becoming a Topeka Police Explorer, now is the time to submit an application for the next basic course!

Our competition team is hard at work getting ready for Night Moves in Arapaho County, CO next month. Tonight we are working on domestic disturbances.

Capital Challenge 2022 is in the books!

This year we hosted 13 teams from 6 different states including Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico.

Congratulations to our overall team champion Fort Collins, CO and to the Top Explorer winner Alexander Wilson from Parker, CO.

Thank you to everyone who came to compete and help run this event with us. We look forward to seeing you again next year!

The Explorers have been working hard and competitions have been hard to come by this year. So we decided to have a fun team building day at Drop Zone Paintball.

Ultimately there had to be a winning team which was led by MAJ Hockenbarger (including Advisors Campbell, Gogian, and Heusted). They ended the day with a record of 4-2 and 1 draw.

SGT McCarthy won the final iron man match for the day as well.

We are still accepting applications for our next Explorer Basic Course!

Applications and more information about the Post can be found at:

https://www.topeka.org/tpd/opportunities-for-citizens/explorer/

OPEN HOUSE
When:
Monday 2/7/22. 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Where:
Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers (TCALC)
500 SW Tuffy Kellogg Drive
Who:
Prospective Explorers and their parents/legal guardians. The program is open to youths 14-20 years of age who have completed the 8th grade.

Have you ever been interested in Exploring but just wasn’t sure if the program was right for you?

Well here is your first chance to come check us out in person. We are going to begin hosting an open house monthly on the first Monday of each month beginning with February.

For the first hour of our weekly meeting we will have post members and Advisors available to answer questions and give tours for you to see what Exploring is all about. We will also have applications on hand and we will be accepting them on the spot. No reservations needed!

COME EXPLORE WITH US!

A team from our post traveled to Chandler, AZ this past weekend to compete in the Chandler Tactical Competition. This is a long running competition (24 years) but it was our first time attending. Our Explorers competed against 25 other teams from Arizona, California, Colorado, and Nevada over 2 days.

The Explorers have worked extremely hard for the past several months to prepare for this competition and hard work pays off. They are bringing home a car load of new hardware to display in their case including the Detective Carlos Ledesma Team Spirit Award which is given to the top overall team. Detective Ledesma was tragically killed in the line of duty in 2010 and the top overall trophy is named in his honor.

To say that the Advisors are proud of the team’s accomplishments is an understatement.

Here’s the full list of awards:

• Top Team Overall (honoring Detective Carlos Ledesma Team Spirit Award)
• 1st place Hostage Rescue
• 1st place Tactical Manhunt
• 1st place Advisor 3-Mile Run (SGT Kevin Schulz)
• 1st place Male Explorer 3-Mile Run (SGT Brandon Tinoco)
• 2nd place Crisis Negotiation
• 2nd place Male Explorer 3-Mile Run (LT Austin Schulz)
• 2nd place Pistol Shoot (CPT Matt Carmona)
• 3rd place Building Clearing
• 3rd place Vertical Assault
• 3rd place SWAT Fitness Challenge (LT Austin Schulz & LT Olivia Mooradian)
• 3rd place Female Explorer 3-Mile Run (LT Olivia Mooradian)
• 5th place Sniper Challenge (LT Austin Schulz & LT Olivia Mooradian)
• 5th place Tactical Relay Race
• 5th place Male Explorer 3-Mile Run (CPT Matt Carmona)

Some nights at Explorers are bittersweet. Last night we had our “retirement” ceremony for Explorer Major Alejandro “Hondo” Martinez. MAJ Martinez has been with the program for 6 years which is the longest tenure any of the Advisors can remember for an Explorer. He is aging out of the program but we know we haven’t seen the last of the great things to come for him. He is working hard to complete his bachelors degree early this year and then plans to apply to be an Officer here at TPD. Thank you Hondo for all of your hard work and years of service!

As with most retirements that brings on promotions to fill.

Stepping into the role of Major is Explorer Captain Ruth Hockenbarger.

Explorer Lieutenant Matt Carmona was promoted to Captain.

Explorer Sergeant Olivia Mooradian was promoted to Lieutenant.

Explorer Corporal Gabriella McCarthy was promoted to Sergeant.

And last but not least Explorer Elizabeth Kampsen was promoted to Corporal.

Congratulations to everyone!