Police Explorers Take First Place in Statewide Competition

Capt. Kirsten Eriksson, 18, Lt. Robert Artola, 17 and Sgts. Michael Macko, 19, and Michael McLean, 20, were living out a realistic nighttime scenario where they had to search a darkened building and catch a suspect hiding inside.  Their performance won them first place at the Florida Association of Police Explorers annual statewide competition.  These Explorer posts — educational training programs for youths ages 14-21 —across Florida compete in a week-long series of events each summer in Crystal River. Each team is tested on how well they pair their law-enforcement skills with real-life situations, such as search and arrest, crisis intervention, traffic enforcement, emergency vehicle operations and court testimony.

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