Many kids dream of becoming police officers who “fight bad guys.” But few of these children have the same dream once they grow up. Tiffany Kasold had this dream, but unlike most, she is well on her way to making it real.

Tiffany, a senior at Juanita High School, has joined the Kirkland Police Explorers. These “explorers” are a group ages 14-21 who volunteer their time to perform traffic control, do ride-alongs, receive extensive law enforcement training and participate in the Summer Junior Police Academy.

She says it is a very supportive environment and she especially enjoys going on ride-alongs. A ride-along is an opportunity for the explorer to be in the police car while the officers are on duty. Explorers, like Tiffany, get to see some incredible things – everything a police officer does, and what they themselves hope to one day be doing!

She mentions that they train in “crime scene investigation, high risk and regular traffic stops, bomb threat response and other things like domestic violence.” Tiffany also says that being a part of this program keeps her, as well as all the other members, away from peer pressure and on the right side of the law.

It’s not easy becoming an explorer. There are strict criteria that explorers must meet if they want to continue in the program. Tiffany explains that volunteers must pass an extensive background investigation, including a computer voice stress analyzer truth test. They must also maintain a 2.5 grade point average, be currently attending school or employed full-time except during summer vacation and must attend two events per month.

But for teens, like Tiffany, who are passionate about law enforcement, these requirements seem minimal in trade off for one day becoming a police officer.

I think that some people only know about police based on the stereotype of giving you tickets or shutting down a fun party due to the noise. But really, everything they do is just to protect each and every member of our community. And they deserve our gratitude and respect for doing so!

If this article has sparked an interest for any young readers, go to the right contacts.

Kirkland resident Sara Anderson is a junior at Inglemoor High School.