Huber HeightsPolice Explorer Post # 57 History

The Huber Heights Police Explorer Post  was founded in 1978 by then Chief, Tim Fenlon. Chief Fenlon had come from Fairborn Ohio Police Department. They had an Explorer Post and he felt that Huber Heights would benefit from one. The program was created and headed up by three officers. Officer Ron Carpenter, Officer Ray Collins, and Officer Mark Bruns. Huber Heights (then Wayne Township Police Department) had a cadet program with four youth that was loosely attended. Those four youth were the first Police Explorers. 1979 saw the first recruiting of youth in the community for the Explorer Post. Affiliation with the Boy Scouts began, and selection of uniforms, rules and regulations, finances and other tasks were completed.

In 1980, uniforms were selected. Grey pants and grey shirts with the round Law Enforcement Patch on both sleeves were instituted. Meetings were twice monthly on Wednesday nights. Today the uniform is light blue, with navy blue pants, and they meet every Tuesday night. Post # 57 is the longest, continuous running Explorer Post in the state of Ohio.

Early difficulties with manpower and staffing issues, along with funding stalled the program. Both Officer Carpenter and Officer Collins resigned as Advisors and Chief Fenlon appointed Officer Mark Bruns to head up the Explorer Post in January 1981. Recruiting was re-instituted and the Explorer Post was officially named Explorer Post # 57.  Post # 57 was selected because Montgomery County is designated county # 57.

In 1981 the first Explorer Basic Academy was developed and implemented. The first class had twenty-five new Explorers. The academy had a two week, forty hour course of instruction. An operations manual was written based on police rules and procedures, along with Boy Scout policies. Officer Bruns was instrumental in writing and updating the first ride-a-long policy that was approved by the new city council and still is in effect today.

The Explorer Post is under the direction of the Post Advisor-Officer Mark Bruns, two Associate Advisors – Officer Kurt Green and Daniel Tucker. The Post is under the direction of Public Affairs unit of the Huber Heights Police Division.

Today the Explorer Post is still going strong with the Basic Academy expanding to one hundred twenty hours.

The Explorer Post has touched the lives of over three hundred youth in the community who have worn the Explorer Post #57 uniform. Currently there are over eighty Post # 57 Explorers who are working in civilian Law Enforcement, eight of which work for the Huber Heights Police Division.

Post # 57 Explorers have or are working for the following agencies :

                                                 Drug Enforcement Agency

                                                Secret Service Uniform Division (White House)

                                                United States Air Marshals

                                                Huber Heights Police Division

                                                Ohio State Patrol

                                                Dayton Police Department

                                                Montgomery County Sheriff  

                                                Fairborn Police Department

                                                Beavercreek Police Department

                                                Wright State University Police Department

                                                Centerville Police Department

                                                Miamisburg Police Department

                                                Moraine Police Department

                                                West Carrollton Police Department

                                                Madison Township Police Department

                                                Butler Township Police Department

                                                Jackson Township Police Department

                                                Clay Township Police Department

                                                Perry Township Police Department

                                                Laura Police Department

                                                Bellbrook Police Department

                                                Sugarcreek Township Police Department

                                                North Hampton Police Department

                                                St.Paris Police Department

                                                New Paris Police Department

                                                Fletcher Police Department

                                                Lincoln Heights Police Department -Ohio

                                                Columbus Police Department –Ohio

                                                Little Rock Police Department -Arkansas

                                                Pinellas County– Florida

                                                Colorado Springs Police Department

                                                West Milton Police Department

 

Post #57 has attended eleven National Law Enforcement Conferences placing in the top ten on six occassions and top five once. The program affords many young people an opportunity to travel and meet other young people with similiar goals. Many have attained their goal as becomeing a full time Police Officer.