POLICE GROUP WINS NATIONAL COMPETITION

Members of a Police Explorers post from Dallas recently won first- and
second-place honors at a national competition in Atlanta.

Photo -Ariane Kadoch / DMN Southeast Dallas' Police Explorers Post 4264
show off trophies after the win. From left are Detective Miguel Sarmiento,
Michael Tayem, Edward Antunez, Rocio Reyes, Erica Garibaldi, Jennifer
Montgomery, Raul Magdaleno and associate adviser Jose Munoz.

Police Explorers Post 4264 competed in the National Explorer Law
Enforcement Competition and took home the first national trophies for the
southeast Dallas Explorer group that was formed in 1982. More than 3,500
Explorers from the United States, England and the Caribbean competed in the
event July 25-29."We took this very seriously," said Explorer Raul
Magdaleno, 20, explaining his four-member team's first-place finish in the
arrest, search and seizure event in Atlanta.

During the competition, Mr. Magdaleno and teammates were expected to make a
mock arrest and search out drugs just the way professional police officers
would. They were judged on thoroughness, professionalism and speed. Theirs
was one of two teams that earned a perfect score, but they won because they
completed their tasks five minutes faster.

Team members prepared intensely for several weeks, Mr. Magdaleno said.

"We really bonded," he said. "The judges [officials from the Drug
Enforcement Administration] said they never saw a team so united."

The other four-member team from Dallas was runner-up in the
hostage-negotiation portion of the competition.

Police Explorers are part of the Boy Scouts of America and teach boys and
girls ages 14 to 21 about law enforcement, good citizenship and leadership.

The Dallas Explorers are already talking about returning to the national
competition in Flagstaff, Ariz., in 2002 to defend their title, said Dallas
police Detective Miguel Sarmiento, adviser for Post 4264.

Elisa Martinez, James Steen and Michael Clifford also advise the southeast
Dallas Explorers.

"Their success makes them believe they can do a lot more," Detective
Sarmiento said.

The Dallas group meets weekly to learn about police work. Explorers also
participate in community-service activities, group social outings and
fund-raising events to pay for their trips to the national competitions.

The other Explorers who competed in Atlanta were Adalberto Rodriguez,
Jennifer Montgomery, Domingo Martinez, Rocio Reyes, Edward Antunez, Michael
Tayem and Erica Garibaldi.

For more information about Police Explorers, call the southeast police
substation at 214-670-8346 or call the police station nearest you.