Sandwich Police Explorer Post 1251

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Sandwich Police Explorer Post 1251

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The online home of Sandwich Police Explorer Post 1251. For more information contact Officer Edward Hegland at [email protected]!

10/08/2026

🎃🚔 Halloween is coming to the Sandwich Police Department.

Join us on Wednesday, October 14th, from 4:30 PM to 6:00 Pm for an evening of Halloween fun at the police department.

We have several activities planned for the kids, including candy, a chance to test their skills against zombies on our virtual simulator, opportunities to take photos around the police department, and the chance to explore one of our squad cars.

Kids and their families will also have the opportunity to meet members of the Sandwich Police Department and our Police Explorers.

👻 We invite all the kids to come dressed in their favorite Halloween costumes and show them off.

📍 Sandwich Police Department
1251 E. 6th Street, Sandwich, IL

We look forward to seeing all the creative costumes and celebrating Halloween with our community. 🎃

10/01/2026

🚔🔎 Our Explorers recently took part in hands-on search warrant training.

During the scenario, Explorers were tasked with serving a mock search warrant and conducting a thorough search for hidden contraband. Cornstarch was used to safely simulate illegal substances, giving Explorers the opportunity to practice locating, identifying, and securing evidence.

The training focused on conducting systematic searches, scene control, officer safety, teamwork, and making sure potential evidence isn't overlooked. Explorers quickly learned that evidence isn't always going to be sitting out in plain sight and that even the smallest areas may need to be checked.

Of course, we made sure the contraband wasn't easy to find. At times, the training turned into what was basically an adult-sized game of hide-and-seek. 😂

Scenarios like this allow our Explorers to learn through hands-on experience while also challenging them to slow down, communicate with their team, and pay attention to the details. 🚔🔎

09/12/2026

Our Sandwich Police Explorers had a great time attending the Sandwich Fair this year🎡🚔

Throughout the fair, our Explorers handed out popsicles, spent time interacting with kids and families, and enjoyed getting to know members of our community. They even managed to convince a few of our friends from the Sheriff’s Office to temporarily trade crime fighting for a popsicle on a hot day 😂🍦

Officer Vaughn, Sergeant Whitecotton, and Officer Hegland (not pictured) also attended alongside our Explorers and had a great time interacting with everyone.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by, said hello, or grabbed a popsicle. Events like the Sandwich Fair give our Explorers a great opportunity to get involved, meet the community, and represent the Sandwich Police Department 💙👮‍♂️🎡

08/17/2026

📢 We’re Still Accepting Applications for Police Explorers!

We’ve had several people reach out recently who are interested in joining our Explorer Program, and we’re excited to see the interest!

We have run into one small issue: we’ve attempted to respond to a few inquiries, but the emails have been returned because the recipient’s mailbox is full.

If you’re reaching out about joining the program, please include a good phone number in your email. That way, if we’re unable to reach you by email, we can give you a call instead.

If you’ve already contacted us and haven’t received a response, please feel free to reach out again with your phone number included.

We’re still accepting applications and look forward to hearing from our future Explorers! 🚔

08/15/2026

Over the past few meetings, our Explorers have been staying busy with a mix of physical and hands-on training!

Physical Training (PT) has now become part of every Explorer meeting, helping our Explorers build the fitness, discipline, and teamwork that are important in law enforcement. Needless to say, they're starting to realize that seeing "PT" on the schedule isn't going away anytime soon! 💪

Of course, no law enforcement training would be complete without everyone’s favorite part of the job... paperwork! 📝 Each Explorer was given their own criminal scenario and had to review the facts, determine what happened, and complete the proper police paperwork for their incident. While paperwork may not be the most exciting part of the job, learning to clearly and accurately document an investigation is one of the most important skills an officer can have.

They also received training on Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs), learning how officers administer and evaluate the tests used during DUI investigations.

From PT and field sobriety testing to learning the not-so-glamorous side of police work with paperwork, our Explorers continue to get hands-on experience with the many different responsibilities that come with a career in law enforcement. We’re excited to keep building on these skills at each meeting!

08/11/2026

🚔 READY TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP? 🚔

The Sandwich Police Explorer Post 1251 is looking for motivated young people interested in law enforcement, public safety, leadership, and serving their community!

Explorers receive hands-on training in:

🔹 Traffic Stops & Felony Stops
🔹 Building Searches & Room Clearing
🔹 Handcuffing & Arrest Techniques
🔹 Criminal Investigations
🔹 DUI / SFST Training
🔹 Radio Communications
🔹 Officer Rescue & Tactical Scenarios
🔹 Ride-Alongs with Sandwich Police Officers
🔹 Community Events & Physical Training
🔹 State & National Competitions

🚔 Train. Lead. Serve.
⭐ Build Your Future. Start Today.
⭐ The Next Generation Starts Here.

Interested in joining or learning more?

📧 Contact Officer Hegland at [[email protected]]

08/07/2026

On August 3rd, the Sandwich Police Explorer Post Competition Team was recognized during the Sandwich City Council meeting for their outstanding performance at the Illinois State Explorer Competition.

Captain A. Zbilski, Sergeant M. Johnson, and Sergeant A. Arias were presented to the Mayor and City Council in recognition of the dedication, teamwork, and countless hours they invested while preparing for the competition.

What makes this recognition even more meaningful is that Sandwich Police Explorer Post 1251 has been established for just over a year. In that short amount of time, our Explorers have built a strong foundation through hard work, determination, and an unwavering commitment to learning. Their success demonstrates that dedication and teamwork can achieve incredible results, regardless of how long a program has been in existence.

Being recognized by our Mayor and City Council is a tremendous honor and a testament to the professionalism, commitment, and work ethic these Explorers demonstrate both in training and in competition.

Congratulations again to Captain Zbilski, Sergeant Johnson, and Sergeant Arias. We are incredibly proud of the way you represented the Sandwich Police Department, the Explorer Program, and the City of Sandwich. This recognition is well deserved, and we can't wait to see what the future holds for Post 1251. 🚔

07/24/2026

From Monday through Thursday, our Explorers shared plenty of laughs, enjoyed some great food, and built friendships with Explorer Posts from across Illinois.

Even though everyone was competing, our Explorers treated every team with kindness, respect, and sportsmanship. They represented the Sandwich Police Explorer Post and the Sandwich community in a way we couldn't be prouder of.

The friendships, memories, and experiences made throughout the week are something they'll carry with them for years to come. Thank you to all of the Explorer Posts, advisors, volunteers, and departments that made this such an unforgettable experience! 🚔💙
Elgin Police Department Grundy County Sheriff's Police Cadets

07/23/2026

🏆 What an incredible weekend at the Illinois State Explorer Competition!🏆

This year's competition challenged our team in every way imaginable. The scenarios were tough, the competition was outstanding, and every Explorer was pushed outside of their comfort zone. While not every scenario went the way we hoped, each challenge was an opportunity to learn, improve, and grow—and that's exactly what our Explorers did.

We couldn't be prouder of the effort, determination, and professionalism shown by every member of the Sandwich Police Explorer Post. They gave 100% in every event, supported one another, and represented our community with pride.

We're excited to be bringing home:
🥉 **4th Place – Burglary in Progress**
🥉 **3rd Place – Officer Rescue**
🥈 **2nd Place – De-escalation**

These awards are something to be proud of, but what makes us even prouder is watching our Explorers gain confidence, build teamwork, and develop skills that will make them better leaders and future first responders.

A huge thank you to the Illinois Law Enforcement Explorer Association the volunteers, judges, and every agency that helped make this event possible. We also want to congratulate all of the Explorer Posts that competed this weekend—you all brought your best and made this an outstanding competition.

We're heading home with hardware, valuable experience, and even more motivation to keep training. Congratulations, Sandwich Explorers! Your hard work paid off, and this is only the beginning. 💙🚔

06/11/2026

🧯🚔 On May 31st, members of the Sandwich Police Explorer Post participated in a voluntary OC (pepper spray) exposure training.

Following a classroom lesson on OC spray, several Explorers chose to experience the effects firsthand in a controlled training environment. This training provided valuable insight into the effects of OC spray while reinforcing the importance of remaining calm, focused, and able to complete assigned tasks under stress.

We are proud of the professionalism, courage, and determination demonstrated by our Explorers throughout the training. While the experience was certainly challenging, each participant pushed through and successfully completed the exercise.

The Explorers handled the exposure exceptionally well. In fact, a few of them handled it so well they may have earned bragging rights over some officers—though we won't be naming names! 😄🚔

Hands-on training opportunities like this help prepare our Explorers for future careers in public safety while building confidence, resilience, and teamwork.

Great job to everyone who participated! 💪🚓

Address

1251 E. 6th Street
Sandwich, IL
60548

Telephone

+18157868735

Website

http://www.sandwichilpolice.com/

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