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Council approves police explorer program funded from cannabis revenue
Summary
The council authorized an Explorer youth program in the Lathrop Police Department, funded from previously collected cannabis business tax revenue, to recruit and mentor 14-to-20-year-olds toward public safety careers.
The Lathrop City Council approved a resolution Wednesday establishing a Police Explorer program for youth ages 14 to 20 and authorized staff to use previously collected cannabis business tax revenue to fund uniforms, transportation and training equipment.
Capt. Richard Berry of the Lathrop Police Department said staff surveyed regional agencies and the department's own officers and concluded the program can build a pipeline to public-safety careers, strengthen community relationships and provide leadership training. Berry cited regional examples where a portion of former explorers subsequently joined law enforcement.
"The program aligns with the department's commitment to community policing and mentorship by offering hands-on experience in law enforcement," Berry said. He said external responses showed agencies with active explorer programs commonly enroll 10— to 30 participants annually and reported hires coming from the programs.
Deputy City Manager Thomas Segar confirmed to council that the funding would come from cannabis business tax revenue already collected and included in the department's operating budget for the next biennial cycle; he said the city cannot publicly disclose the exact amount in this presentation but that current funds are sufficient to cover program startup and near-term operations.
Council voted unanimously to establish the program and to authorize staff to proceed with registration through Learning for Life/Boy Scouts of America, recruit youth, and convene advisor meetings to develop the program timeline and curriculum.
The council requested that staff return with more detailed implementation timelines and noted that advisor staffing and sustained funding will be part of subsequent operational planning.
