Riverside Police Explorer Competition (R.P.E.C.)
Unfortunately, our venue has presented us with ongoing issues that have significantly affected our ability to provide the quality competition and experience that our participants deserve. Due to these unforeseen circumstances, the 2026 Riverside Police Department Explorer Competition has been officially CANCELED.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this decision may cause. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who planned to attend and to those who continue to support and attend our competition year after year. Your support is what allows us to continue providing meaningful opportunities for our young Explorers.
This year’s competition had reached full capacity, with a substantial waiting list. We truly appreciate all of the agencies that made plans to attend and share in our common goal of giving back to the young Explorers who dedicate their time and effort to this field.
This year’s competition had reached full capacity, with a substantial waiting list. We truly appreciate all of the agencies that made plans to attend and share in our common goal of giving back to the young Explorers who dedicate their time and effort to this field.
If your agency has registered to compete in this year's competition you should have or will be receiving an email with the instructions on options available for a refund or to apply for the 2027 Riverside Police Explorer Competition.
Would you like to join the Riverside Police Explorers?
Fill out the interest form if you're interested in joining the Riverside Police Explorer Program and after we receive your interest form, you will be contacted by Explorer personnel with recruitment information.
Click Here For Explorer Interest Form
To be eligible to apply for the Riverside Police Explorers, you must be between the ages of 14 to 18 years old. Once accepted and upon successful completion of the Explorer Academy, you may remain in the program until the age of 20 years old. Explorers learn about laws, court procedures, police patrol techniques, leadership and organizational skills. Upon meeting requirements, Explorers are allowed to go on ride alongs with a patrol officer, participate in community policing and interact with residents in the city of Riverside. This provides an opportunity for Explorers to get a first-hand perspective of the reality of modern law enforcement.
The Explorer program is designed to build character, develop leadership skills, and an appreciation for community service. Explorers take part in events such as the Police Explorer Academy, children's fingerprinting, McGruff the Crime Dog visits, Traffic Safety Fairs, and other special events within the community.
The Explorer's Advisory staff is made up of sworn officers from the Riverside Police Department who volunteer their time to participate in the program.
The Riverside Police Department is looking for males and females who want to become part of our organization. The Department is seeking people who are eager to learn about police work, leadership and service to the community. High school students can use their service in the Explorer's as part of their community service hours required for graduation.
The weekly Explorer meetings are held every Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and include activities such as physical fitness training, uniform inspections, patrol operations training (vehicle traffic stops, pedestrian checks, fundamentals of police officer safety), report writing, and Community Oriented Policing.
What are the requirements to join the Explorer Program?
- Ages 14 to 18
- No major criminal record
- Cannot be on probation or parole
- Maintain at least a 2.0 GPA
- Be able to attend weekly meetings
- Must serve 8 hours of community service with the Explorer's each month
- Must be able to arrange transportation to the weekly meetings or events
Would you like to have the Riverside Police Explorers at one of your events?
The Explorers can provide personnel for events such as flag presentations, child fingerprinting and more. For more information,request below or otherwise please e-mail [email protected] and an Explorer representative will contact you.
Click Here To Support Riverside Police Explorer #714