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Law Enforcement Explorer Post_Boy Scouts of AmericaMasterpiece on the Mississippi TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Law Enforcement Explorer Post DATE: April 14, 2010 Dubuque kiltd AD- AmmicaCity 1111 ' 2007 Chief of Police Mark Dalsing recommends City Council approval for the Dubuque Police Department to partner with the Northeast Iowa Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for the formation of a Law Enforcement Explorer post. The BSA Explorer program is geared for youth between the ages of 14 and 20 years old who are looking to learn more about specific careers and experience practical training in the field they choose. Unlike the Boy Scouts, Explorers can be either male or female. The BSA does an annual Student Interest Survey for the middle schools and high schools in February of each year. Based on the most recent Interest Survey, the BSA identified 366 local students who have showed an interest in law enforcement and would be candidates for an Explorer program. Cpl. Joe Messerich, a former BSA Eagle Scout, has volunteered to be the Post Advisor, and School Resource Officers Becky Stieber and Jeremy Slight would serve as the committee members. Chief of Police Mark Dalsing would serve as the executive officer for the post. The training curriculum will be developed in cooperation with Lt. Neil Weiss, the Dubuque Police Department's Training Officer, as well as the BSA. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. MCVM:jh Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Mark M. Dalsing, Chief of Police Michael C. Van Milligen THE CITY OF DUB E MEMORANDUM Masterpiece on the Mississippi TO: Michael C. Van Milligen City Manger FR: Mark M. DalSing)149 Chief of Police RE: Law Enforcement Explorer Post INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND March 18, 2010 The Northeast Iowa Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) wishes to start a Law Enforcement Explorer Post in this area with the Dubuque Police Department as its charter organization. Preliminary meetings have been held with the BSA and we are ready to proceed. In October of 2009, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) contacted then Acting Chief of Police Terry Tobin about starting a Law Enforcement Explorer Post in Dubuque. Tobin sought a volunteer to coordinate a meeting with the BSA and I volunteered. On December 8, 2009 I met with Colin Earl, the Exploring Executive for the Northeast Iowa Council of the BSA, to discuss the possible formation of a Law Enforcement Explorer Post with the Dubuque Police Department as its chartering organization. Earl explained that the BSA Explorer program is geared for youths between the ages of 14 and 20 years old who are looking to learn more about specific careers and experience practical training in the field they choose. Unlike the Boy Scouts, Explorers can be either male or female. Currently the Northeast Iowa Council of BSA oversees 22 Explorer posts ranging from automotive repair to veterinary medicine and has 398 Explorers in the programs. Two of the larger area posts are an Engineering post, partnered with John Deere and the Durrant Group, and a Military post partnered with the Iowa National Guard. Nationally, EMS posts (Law, Fire & EMT) have the greatest membership with Law Enforcement making up the largest portion. The nearest law enforcement Post is in Guttenberg, IA where they run a 12 month program every other year. Last fall Guttenberg held an open house for prospective members and of those that attended, six were from the Dubuque area and one was from Manchester and they were willing to travel to Guttenberg to take part in such a program. The BSA does an annual Student Interest Survey for the middle schools and high schools in February of each year. The results are then tallied over the summer months and the results are made available to the schools and students in the fall when most Explorer posts start. Based on the most recent Interest Survey, the BSA identified 366 local students who have showed an interest in law enforcement and would be candidates for an Explorer program. The BSA then provides information on the posts and helps direct youths into programs of interest. The training /meeting schedule is based on the chartering organization's needs and resources but can meet as often as weekly and as little as quarterly. As far as meeting content, some Posts "recycle" their training curriculum in annual cycles and a new group of Explorers take part each year; some recycle the training in annual cycles and the Explorers may stay with the program and just repeat the training; while others use a combination of repeat training with a mix of new to keep the members engaged in the program for as long as they are a part of the post. As long as members are within the acceptable age range, they can "graduate" at the end of a training cycle or stay with the program for as long as they like. Again, it is up to the chartering organization to make this decision. The training curriculum is not guided by a manual like it is in Boy Scouts. Explorers take part in whatever programs the chartering organization develops, and follow whatever performance measures set up by the program. There are not merit badges, awards or ranking, unless they are developed by the chartering organization. Also unlike the BSA, the Explorer program does not have a uniform requirement. Some posts do develop a requirement but often it is as simple as a t -shirt. The minimum number of adults required to charter a post is four. This is made up of a post advisor, two committee members and the executive officer. There is no limit to the number of adult leaders formally a part of the post, and individual instructors do not have to be formal adult leaders. The BSA is responsible for the initial recruitment of the youths, making adult leadership training available for the chartering organization, and covering the youth under the BSA insurance. I sought volunteers within the department and Cpl. Joe Messerich, a former BSA Eagle Scout, has volunteered to be the Post Advisor and he has recruited School Resource Officers Stieber and Slight to be the committee members. I would be the executive officer for the post. The training curriculum will be developed in cooperation with Lt. Weiss, the Dubuque Police Department's Training Officer, as well as with the BSA. BUDGET IMPACT As far as costs associated with chartering a post, the minimum fee is $60 for the chartering organization, which is required on an annual basis. This is made up of $10 for each of the four required adult leaders and a $20 charter fee. This amount would increase based on the number of adult leaders. The youths are required to pay a $15 program fee to the BSA. Some costs may develop based on the groups' activities, such as field trips or purchasing supplies. It is up to the chartering organization how to collect these fees. Some request reimbursement on an 'as needed" basis while other collect regular dues. Beyond the $60 annual fees, there may be some additional nominal fees that could be covered out of existing budget or grant fees. I do not see any major budget impact associated with the formation of a post. CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION I believe it would be worthwhile becoming a chartering organization for an Explorer post. BSA has always been a positive outlet of youth and the Explorer Post appears that it will potentially fill a void for the age group we are targeting with other City and community services. As we get further along, we will work with the Multicultural Family Center and other City partners to identify youths who could benefit from such a program. Additionally, I see an Explorer post as an opportunity to develop and train future officers for the department. If we provide an interesting program for youths, perhaps we can guide them towards a law enforcement career and help them as they progress through college and into the testing and hiring process. If all goes well, we would look to start the post at the beginning of the 2010 -11 school year. ACTION REQUESTED Approval for the Dubuque Police Department to continue in the process for partnering with the Northeast Iowa Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for the formation of a Law Enforcement Explorer post.