Aaron Sanders grew up in West Denver, where his preschool friends started mimicking gang members.
Yet at age 5, he preferred to wear his own handmade police badge on his chest.
“I have always wanted to be a police officer for as long as I can remember,” Sanders said.
Eager to continue following that dream, Sanders joined police explorer posts as soon as he turned 14 and has rarely missed a weekly meeting in more than four years. He likes it so much, at times he simultaneously joined posts in several cities.
“I like to say I owe my life to Denver police explorers,” said Sanders, 18. “I grew up with gangs all around me. Without the explorers, I would have struggled a whole lot more.”
Now, the Denver Police Department is looking for more teens like Sanders, particularly minority kids in a city where the low percentage of minorities on the police force is a continuing point of contention.
“We want to bring minorities in,” said Joe Malouff, a police officer and the director of the Denver Police Explorers. “We recruit heavily in Denver Public Schools where there is a large pool of minority students.”
Malouff said that Sanders is a good example of what can happen. Initially, Sanders was suspicious of any kind of authority. His attitude has completely changed, Malouff said. He understands the perspective of police officers who often do dangerous or very unpleasant work.
It doesn’t matter whether an explorer eventually becomes an officer, Malouff said. Having them involved helps them learn why police do what they do. It could help foster more understanding in neighborhoods.
Malouff noted that both boys and girls can participate and that he would like to see the current membership of 25 double.
Sanders said he will never forget his first ride-along with an “old timer.” There was a break-in call to a building.
When the officer he was riding with arrived, the officer got out of the squad car and pulled out his gun before entering the building.
“When you’re 14, it hits the fan,” Sanders said. “I thought this could go bad. I was scared to death. I checked the radio and thought I just might have to call for cover.”
In mock training sessions at meetings, explorers learn how to safely enter a building, how to speak with victims at a tragic car accident and how to write police reports.
“I have been exposed to every aspect of law enforcement, hands down,” Sanders said.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
Want to be an explorer?
The Denver Police Department is having an open house at 7 p.m. Wednesday at its training academy, 2155 N. Akron Way, for anyone 14 to 20 years old who is interested in joining the explorers post and has or had a 2.0 grade-point average in school.
