[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 154 (Tuesday, September 26, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





        COMMEMORATING ENFIELD POLICE EXPLORERS' 50TH ANNIVERSARY

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                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 26, 2017

  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th 
anniversary of the Enfield Police Explorers. The Enfield Police 
Explorer program was founded in 1967 by the late Chief Walter J. Skower 
to serve as a lifeline for troubled youth and as an opportunity for 
those interested in law enforcement. At its inception, the program was 
the first in the state of Connecticut and the second in the nation.
  The Enfield Police Department provides its Explorers with a firsthand 
view of what it's like to be a Law Enforcement Officer. They receive 
CPR and first aid training, physical fitness instruction, and 
traditional classroom education designed to prepare them for a career 
in Law Enforcement, military or community service, and related careers. 
The Explorers use their training to support the police department and 
community by providing traffic control and security at various events, 
volunteering their time and efforts to support many local and national 
charities, and even aiding in emergency situations including storm 
response and locating missing persons. Each year Explorers attend 
various competitions and a week-long academy, where they consistently 
earn accolades and awards. While many members have indeed gone on to 
become Law Enforcement professionals and members of the Armed Forces, 
most importantly, Explorers become responsible citizens and 
contributors to their communities.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 
Enfield Police Explorers program. In its fifty years, the program has 
become a bridge between the law enforcement and youth, fostering public 
safety as a career opportunity, while working to make the community a 
better place.

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