Boy Scouts train for badge in anti-terrorism

They have the merit badges in camping and woodcraft, now American Boy Scouts are able to prove their proficiency in anti-terrorism.

Thousands of teenagers are participating in a law enforcement programme designed to give them the skills to counter terrorism, illegal immigration and gunmen on university campuses.

Around 35,000 "Explorer" scouts aged from 14 to 21 are currently in the "law enforcement exploring" programme across America.

Dressed in combat fatigues and armed with air guns firing tiny plastic pellets, they are taught how to assault buses, raid marijuana fields and rescue terrorist hostages from buildings.

The project is run by Learning For Life, a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America organisation, and open to both girls and boys who want to learn the ropes of modern policing.

Exploring units, called "posts", usually focus on a single career field such as police, engineering, health or aviation.

Law enforcement is by the most popular option and often involves an attachment with the local FBI or police.

Many agencies, such as the Border Patrol, are heavily involved in shaping the activities and admit they see the programme as a useful recruitment tool.

Although law enforcement exploring originally stuck to learning the policing basics, organisers say the training has become more specialised since the September 11 attacks and growing violence on the Mexican border.

"This is about being a true-blooded American guy and girl. It fits right in with the honour and bravery of the Boy Scouts," AJ Lowenthal, a sheriff's deputy and Explorer leader in Imperial, California, told the New York Times.

There is nothing Orwellian about this. I was a Sheriff Explorer and worked on drug raids, in the jail, security for events and ride alongs.
As a young man I did the following:

I was on drug raids Where the officers went in and then we cut down the marijuana

Worked in two jails escorting prisoners, searching dorms, processing inmates, etc.. I was searching a prisoner and he turned around after being told to stay still. That did not work out to well for him as he ended up stripped and in what is called a blue room.

Drove up on a dead body which turned out to be a drunk guy who we escorted home. This was when MADD was just getting their legs. Anyway, the guy only lived a block away.

Did security for the Miss California 3 years, Salinas Car show and even listened to “Black Power” and Black Panther via Huey Newton. That was weird as I had never heard anyone talk like that before. I told the officer I was assigned to that the things this guy was saying are unbelievable and that I did not hold the views that “supposedly” White people do. The office said that he nor anyone he knows holds the beliefs this guy was spewing.

Did a weapons search for a crime he was suspected of committing.

On ride alongs I went to everything you see on COPS, the TV show. Let me tell you, you adrenaline rushes when you walk into a domestic disturbance and an officer says to stand your ground in a certain area of the room to control people.

Did a couple of search and rescues.

Trained for Disaster as an first responder and as a casualty.

Could go on but the whole experience taught me a lot about Law Enforcement and I realized though a noble job that I was destined to do something else.

The goal of the Explorer program is the introduction to Law Enforcement and gives you sense of what it is like. This enables you decide if you want to pursue the field.

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