The Wright County Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Explorer Post 641 was selected as the recipient of the Minnesota Law Enforcement Explorer Association’s 2007 Don Cup. The Don Cup is awarded to only one explorer post each year based on outstanding characteristics of Teamwork, Dedication, Quality and Service. The Wright County Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Explorer Post was awarded the Don Cup in conjunction with their 28th anniversary as a chartered explorer post. The Don Cup recognizes the Posts contribution of more than 900 hours of volunteer service to the Wright County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Wright County. The hours provided included community service and security at the Wright County Fair, various community celebrations and parades, National Night Out, Operation Childprint and other functions of the Community Services Division of the Wright County Sheriff’s Office. Members of the post also served as role players for the WCSO Emergency Response Unit’s various training scenarios. The quality of the Post is also noted by the success rate of its members becoming law enforcement professionals. The Post has seen 29 of its members enter law enforcement positions and with nine of its current members in post-secondary law enforcement programs and four recently graduated from post-secondary, those numbers will soar. Currently 12 former WCSO explorers are employed as deputy sheriffs with WCSO and many other explorers from other departments are working here as well. Fifteen explorers and four adult advisors represented Wright County at the 32nd Annual Law Enforcement Explorer Conference held at Breezy Point Resort April 16-29. Those explorers competed against explorers from 49 other police departments and sheriff’s offices from around Minnesota. Teams from Wright County placed well amongst the competition taking second place in the K9 Resources academic session, third place in Domestic Crisis Intervention, fourth place in White Collar Crime Investigation and fifth place in Interview and Interrogation. The winning teams receive a plaque and earn scholarship money for post-secondary education. One of the pistol teams took fourth place in the Team Shooting competition with a score of 916 points. The team was comprised of Explorer Capt. Dan Berndtson, Lt. Heather Boyce, Sgt. Sam Norlin and Explorer Dallyn Nelson. A second Wright County team was only five points out of placing fifth. Members of the Post also won some individual awards. Explorer Captain Dan Berndtson took a fifth place trophy in the Sample Police Exam, 94 explorers took the test. Berndtson also won first place in Slow Fire pistol shooting with a score of 96 and Explorer Warren Schroden followed in 2nd place with a score of 94 out of a possible 100 points. More than 260 shooters competed in the shoot. For more information on Law Enforcement Exploring contact the Wright County Sheriff’s Office – Sgt Eric Leander at (763) 682-7622 or visit the MN Law Enforcement Explorer Web site at www.mnleexplorer.org.
