By Khalida Sarwari
Joe Cefalu puts away bad guys for a living, but the veteran Campbell police sergeant wasn’t always sure he wanted to be a cop. It wasn’t until he joined the police department’s Explorer Program as a volunteer cadet that he decided to pursue a career in law enforcement instead of medicine.
Through the program, the young Cefalu learned the fundamentals of policing, getting firsthand experience in the everyday duties and responsibilities of officers. He went on ride-alongs, learned how to write and process citations and even got to drive patrol vehicles. Today the 42-year-old is one of several Campbell police officers who enrolled in the program as teens and worked their way through the ranks of the department.
“It benefited us greatly,” Cefalu said. “For me, at that time in my life I was on the fence about what I wanted to do.” The program, Cefalu said, helped him realize “I liked the idea of arresting people and making the streets safer for everyone else.”
Cefalu spent three years as an Explorer before becoming a reserve officer and then full-time officer for the last 15 years. Now, his 14-year-old son wants to follow in his footsteps, he said.
Though the Explorer Program has been around for decades, it languished over the past six years, mainly due to lack of interest from the community and inadequate police resources, said Cefalu. But realizing how much of an important role it played in his life, Cefalu committed himself to revitalizing the program and giving a new generation the same opportunities to prepare for a career in law enforcement he once had. The program also benefits the department, Cefalu said, by fostering a good relationship between police officers and young people.
“We’re starting from ground zero and doing it all over again the right way,” he said.
The police department is seeking to recruit up to 15 young people. Cefalu will oversee the program, along with a committee of three dispatchers and two police officers. The program, which is slated to kick off in July, is offered through the Boy Scouts of America and is open to youth ages 14 to 20.
Applicants are required to have at least a 2.0 grade point average and parental approval if they are underage. They must also undergo a background check and interview.
“We do a background check to make sure they have moral character,” said Cefalu, adding that while the background check is an important part of the recruitment process, a spotty record is not necessarily a make-or-break factor for candidates.
Once they’re enrolled in the program, volunteers are supplied a uniform consisting of a light blue shirt, dark blue pants and a duty belt. The uniform and program are free, but there may be a cost of anywhere from $50 to $100 to the volunteers for extras such as shoes, said Cefalu.
Once enrolled, volunteers can stay in the program until they are 21 years old. They are required to devote about 10 hours a month to the program.
The police department will hold an open house on May 16, 7 p.m., at city hall to discuss the program, including requirements, the training process and ways to advance in rank. Applications will also be disseminated.
For more information about the Explorer Program, call Sgt. Joe Cefalu at 408.866.2717.
