“We are changing the lives of these kids” Mat-Su Law Enforcement Explorers teaches law enforcement, community, and engagement

At the start of the school year, Officer Keith Barkwood of the Palmer Police Department (PPD), along with the Wasilla Police Department and the Alaska State Troopers, joined forces to bring back the Mat-Su Law Enforcement Explorers program, a nationwide program that aims to teach and train youth interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

“I saw the poster when school began, but didn’t do anything right away with the start of school, but one day I was talking with SRO Barkwood and asked what I should do to further my options to be a Wildlife Trooper, and he told me he had the perfect thing,” explains Connor Wright, one of the Palmer High School students who joined the Mat-Su Explorers a few months ago.

Wright is referring to Officer Keith Barkwood of the Palmer Police Department, who works as the School Resource Officer at Palmer High, and is in charge of the Mat-Su Explorers Post 400.

Wright has a clear goal for his future, working towards becoming a Wildlife Trooper for AST, and being a part of the Explorers is helping him pursue his goals.

“This is honestly the highlight of my month, every time I go to one of the meetings,” he says. The determined senior is looking to pursuing a degree in wildlife, which is something he is passionate about. “But then I thought I should combine the wildlife piece with law enforcement or military, and Wildlife Troopers became the goal.”

For Jackie Denney, a freshman transplant to Alaska from Florida, she has a different path in mind when it comes to law enforcement and the things she is learning in the Explorers.

“I have always wanted to be part of law enforcement, part of the community. I realize that I want to help others in ways that they’ve helped me.” She says that when she got the email that Officer Barkwood was starting the program, there was no hesitation for her participating.

“I am also looking more towards bringing mental health to law enforcement. I think that’s a good idea.”

For now, she plans to get into corrections after high school and has aspirations to follow in her uncle’s footsteps and become a Sheriff’s Deputy one day, and would like to bring more community to law enforcement.

“I feel like maybe establishing the reality for the community that police aren’t bad people, whether it’s by helping someone change a tire, or just sitting and listening to someone.”

It is something that Officer Barkwood fully supports, having law enforcement being part of the community.

“We are focusing on community policing and trying to be involved, to be engaged with the people in the community.”

While some participants in the program have a plan or direction after high school utilizing the law enforcement education gained from the Explorers program, others are using the time to make sure the often-demanding career field is something they want to continue after high school.

For Sophomore Preston Ogden, law enforcement runs in the family and as he tells it, his father, Officer Ryan Ogden of the PPD, has been talking about the Explorers project for over a year, and that’s when he became enthusiastic for the program.

“He told me about it before it was an actual thing, and asked if I would be interested. This is giving me the chance to see if law enforcement is something I might be interested in for the future,” says Odgen. He says that he plans to go to college, or possibly the military to offset the costs, but still has time to map out his future.

Charles Thiede is also exploring his options, and weighing his interest in law enforcement, which he says he has had for a while.

“I’ve had an interest in law enforcement, but I’m not sure yet what I want to do. I have my student pilot’s license, so I could do something with Wildlife Troopers, but I’m really looking into everything,” says the Palmer High junior. Although he is busy with cross-country running and skiing, Thiede says that he is enjoying the classes and training when he’s able to attend.

“We just did ‘Use of Force’ training, which was interesting, and tourniquet training. Unfortunately, a lot of it is held on Saturdays, and so are my competitions, but I’m still liking it,” he says.

For Officer Barkwood, the Mat-Su Explorers has been a passion project, one that he has wanted to see get off the ground for a few years.

“It’s been his dream for a long time, to have a police Explore post here and find the backing for it,” says Wright. Ogden adds that Barkwood was in the program as a kid himself, and both young men say that the majority of the officers the work with were also in the program.

“It’s sort of like they are passing this on to the next generation,” said Ogden.

There are currently 28 students in the program, a number that Officer Barkwood is happy with, but he also sees the potential for it to grow in the future as the program gains traction and as more sources of funding open up.

“We have a $15,000 grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation that has helped us get started, and is helping offset the cost of the training uniforms. I’m hoping for a few other grants to include adding ‘Class A’ uniforms. We are also looking at fundraising as we gain experience and training so we can enter competitions and go to one of the conferences held in the lower 48.”

He is also pleased with the collaboration and assistance from others in the different law enforcement agencies in the Mat-Su. Over 20 law enforcement officers from the Alaska State Troopers, Palmer Police Department, and Wasilla Police Department are participating as leaders in the Post 400 Explorers program, and the various posts and areas the different police departments and troopers serve provide a unique opportunity for the kids involved to explore the different of law enforcement in their own backyard.

“With the Wasilla Police Department, it is more of a city patrol. There are more people and sometime there are different issues to attend to, where with Palmer, there are more rural areas, and with the Troopers, there is the wildlife, but also so much more wide-ranging elements to what they do.”

The training classes the Explorers have had so far include radio operations, K-9 demonstration, tourniquets, and an overview of the equipment the officers routinely carry. Barkwood says there are plans for weapons training and a few other surprises once the weather warms up in the spring.

“The stuff we are learning has been interesting. It will be neat to see how it all comes together as we go,” says Thiede.

Officer Barkwood says that among the goals and plans for the Explorers will be providing assistance during the upcoming Arctic Winter Games, participating in ridealongs, and being present and supporting the community. But more than that,

“We are changing the lives of these kids.”

The program is open to any student in the Mat-Su Borough, even students from Charter schools and homeschool students. And for those students considering whether or not to join, Ogden says:

“I would say, definitely give it a shot. Who knows, you might discover something about yourself, you might discover that you want to get into forensics or become a K-9 officer, find something you didn’t know you’d be interested in doing.”

“You learn a lot, make tons of friends. The police and troopers answer a lot of our questions. There’s a lot of camaraderie there, too,” adds Wright. He and Ogden both say it’s been interesting to also see the person behind the badge, and find new ways to relate to law enforcement in that aspect.

For Denney, she says being a part of the Explorers has helped give her a sense of being part of something.

“Being able to volunteer and be a part of something that is giving me a sense of helping and being a part of something amazing like this. It’s an amazing thing to get into, and would recommend if others are interested, to be part of it.”

Mat-Su Law Enforcement Explorers Post 400 meets the first and third Wednesday every month throughout the year, with most meetings held at the Wasilla Police Department.

Annual membership fees cost $50. For more information, email www.matsu.law.enforcement.explorers@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page.