A group of aspiring young law enforcement professionals from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Program is earning recognition across Northern California after posting top finishes in two recent regional law enforcement explorer competitions, including a second-place overall team finish in Stockton.
The accomplishments highlighted the skill, discipline and professionalism of the Sheriff’s Explorers, a youth program designed to prepare teenagers and young adults for careers in law enforcement and public service through hands-on training, mentorship and real-world experience.
Competing against explorer teams from agencies throughout the region, Sacramento County’s Explorers excelled in a series of realistic law enforcement scenarios that tested communication, leadership, teamwork, decision-making and composure under pressure.
At the Stockton competition, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Explorers earned second place overall while capturing first place in Crisis Intervention and Negotiation. The team also finished second in both Active Shooter and Silver Alert scenarios, while earning third-place finishes in Felony Vehicle Stop and Basic Stop exercises.
The team continued its success at a separate Sacramento-area competition, where the Explorers earned first place in the Felony Vehicle Stop category, one of the more technical and high-pressure events in the competition lineup.
The competitions are designed to mirror real-world law enforcement situations and require participants to apply practical skills while being evaluated by experienced law enforcement professionals. Scenarios often include emergency response situations, investigative exercises, traffic stops and crisis communication incidents that demand quick thinking and strong teamwork.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Program is open to teenagers and young adults ages 14 through 20 and operates under a Peace Officer Standards and Training-approved curriculum. The program introduces participants to a broad range of law enforcement concepts while also helping develop important life and leadership skills.
Explorers receive hands-on instruction in areas including self-defense tactics, arrest procedures, search and seizure laws and other law enforcement-related subjects. Beyond tactical training, the program also emphasizes public speaking, résumé building, grooming standards, work ethic, leadership development and teamwork.
Participants also assist with a variety of community service activities throughout the Sacramento region, including traffic control, security operations, decoy operations and fingerprinting events.
One of the program’s unique aspects is the opportunity for explorers to work alongside Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies serving in a variety of assignments, including patrol, corrections, traffic enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing and Crime Scene Investigation. The experience gives participants direct exposure to the realities and responsibilities of public safety careers while building relationships with working professionals in the field.
Sheriff’s officials praised the explorers for the professionalism and teamwork demonstrated throughout the competitions, noting the program continues to produce highly motivated young leaders interested in serving their communities.
Programs like the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Explorers continue to serve as an important pipeline for young people pursuing careers in law enforcement, corrections, emergency communications and other public safety professions throughout California.
For more information about the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Program, contact Lieutenant Shelly Hodgkins atshodgkins@sacsheriff.com.
Copyright © 2026, Folsom Times, a digital product of All Town Media LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
