Published on January 25, 2023
At 15 or 16 years old, it is hard to know where you’ll be in 10 years. However, for the 2023 Class of Maricopa Police Cadets, they know they want to be serving the community as police officers. This month they put their skills to the test, competing in the 25th Annual Chandler Tactical Competition. Teams of cadets and explorers from seven different states and 50 different programs participate in live-action scenarios such as conducting a traffic stop, sweeping a building, and crisis negotiations. This year the team of 11 cadets participated in a total of eight events and were close to placing in the top 5 for several of them. They are proud to say they took home fourth place out of 50 teams for the high-risk traffic stop event. “These cadets spent the last six months getting ready,” says Detective McCullar, who supervises the Maricopa Police Cadet Program. “We compete against large agencies that have brought multiple teams with them, such as LA County and as far away as Kansas and Minnesota. Our crew held their own and we’re looking forward to being even better next year.” The Maricopa Police Cadet Program is designed for youth in Maricopa aged 14 to 20 years of age. It is designed to educate, grow leadership skills, build self-confidence, and dedication to service within the community.
Program participants spend two hours each week attending meeting; doing physical activity, law enforcement-specific education, and police-based scenarios. Some of the education is done by officers with specific skill sets such as SWAT, K9, DUI Enforcement, and many others. In addition to growing their skills, Cadet participants will have the opportunity to complete community service hours volunteering at city events in Cadet uniform. The Maricopa Police Cadet Program allows youth to have inside access and perspective to what police officers, dispatchers and police volunteers do on a daily basis. It is designed to show the impact of law enforcement and that “we is greater than I.”