Future Remains Uncertain for San Bernardino Sheriff's Explorer Program

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Explorers program has come under scrutiny following allegations that two deputies had sex with teenage girls, and former Explorers are concerned with what might happen if the program is axed.

“So much would be lost if they ended the Explorer program,” said former Explorer Cassandra Smith. “It’s a constructive outlet for children who could be on the verge of following the right path or choosing the wrong path.”

Sheriff Rod Hoops suspended ridealongs with deputies, and directed his staff to review the entire program. No recommendations have been made yet.

"We're going to be looking at everything from training to evaluation to the selection of people involved in the Explorer program," he said during a May 5 press conference. "We're going through our entire Explorer policy with a fine tooth comb to see if there's something that we need to change to prevent [these incidents] from happening."

The Explorer program is open to young adults between the ages of 14-and-a-half to 21. According to Hoops, there are more than 240 Explorers in the program, working out of 15 stations. During a two-week training program, they learn the fundamentals of police procedures, defensive tactics, the use of chemical agents, handcuffing techniques, firearms instruction, and more. Following graduation, the Explorers are then able to go out with deputies as they patrol. 

“You are given a lot of discipline, and it helped me through high school,” Smith said. “I didn’t have time to be out there running around and doing things a lot of teens like to do. You understood the consequences of your decisions, and were held accountable for your actions. It really just helped take us from that immature spot you are as a teenager, and directs you into a path of maturity and self growth and awareness.”

According to Hoops, deputies receive training when they volunteer for the program.

"You would hope that a deputy sheriff, when they graduate from the academy, would have the common sense to behave," he said. "As a sheriff, it is my responsibility to make sure that the citizens of our county are safe and, specifically in a case like this, that the kids in our Explorer program are protected."

Smith, 30, was an Explorer between the ages of 14 and 17, and found the experience to be “absolutely amazing.”

“I had a schoolmate, now in the Navy, who was an Explorer and told me about the program,” the San Jacinto resident said. “I’ve always had an interest in law enforcement, but I’d never heard of the program.”

Working out of the Highland Sheriff’s Department, Smith was able to go out into the field with deputies.

“You go on ridealongs, on actual calls, and you learn how to deal with the public,” she said. “It teaches you how to deal with diversity. When you’re in high school, you’ve got your cliques and groups of friends and a lot of people seem to have a lot of things in common. When you’re an Explorer, you deal with a diverse population, and meet all types of people. It teaches you self discipline, respect for others, and awareness of cultural diversity and gender diversity.”

Smith left the program after three years to join another program, the Public Safety Internship Program, run in conjunction with Valley College. 

“They were both amazing programs,” she said. “With the Explorers, it builds so much self confidence. You know at such a young age you’re trusted, that the deputies put that kind of faith in you. It’s so risky for a deputy to take an Explorer out, they’re responsible for their life and the life of the Explorers, so to have that type of faith that we can go out there and trust us, there’s nothing like it for our self image.”

According to Smith, she never encountered any wrongdoing while on ridealongs or during any other Explorer activity.

“I personally have gone out on multiple ridealongs with male and female deputies, and at no time was there anything remotely inappropriate going on,” she said. “At no time did they put me in unnecessary risk or shelter me. It was a very good balance, and good life lessons were learned. I still remember the names of the deputies, and have amazing memories of the ones I worked with. I still tell my friends funny stories from the time.”

Now studying for her master’s degree in forensic psychology, Smith has found her background has given her a leg up over her peers.

“My experience with the Explorers gave me a very firm understanding of the law enforcement aspect, so when I came into my master’s program I already had a very strong foundation that my classmates didn’t have,” she said. “They’ve never been inside of a jail, or out with deputies, or experienced the culture.”

Smith still keeps in touch with many of her former Explorer colleagues, and believes that the program is an important outlet for young people.

“There are too many kids on the streets with idle time, and there is nothing like the Explorers,” she said. “If they take the Explorer program away, all these youths interested in law enforcement and bettering themselves will have their constructive outlet taken away. They run the risk of finding other outlets that are damaging.”

For Smith, the benefits of the program far outweigh the risks.

“What it will do for the chid’s self esteem and the path it is setting up for the rest of their lives, there is nothing like it,” she said. “When you go into the military and have all this extensive training, it’s good for the person but you’re already an adult. To be in that position as a teen and have that much confidence in you, there’s nothing matched to it." 

Hoops also believes in the program.

"I want to emphasize that by no means are we throwing the entire Explorers program under the bus," he said. "We have many fine deputies who have been involved in the Explorer program."