For 47 years, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Explorers program has been guiding local teenagers toward positive life choices while providing hands-on experience in law enforcement careers and community service. 

• Founded in late fall 1978 by retired Deputy Sheriff Ray MacGrogan and officially chartered with the Boy Scouts of America in January 1979, the program emerged from one deputy’s insight into youth needs and desire to provide a constructive outlet for teenage energy and ideas.

Today, the Okaloosa County program is part of a national network of approximately 2,000 law enforcement explorer posts serving about 40,000 youth across the United States.

The program serves community-minded young men and women ages 12 to 20 who are Okaloosa County residents and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. The aim is to build self-esteem and leadership skills while providing career exploration opportunities and community service training. 

“The most important thing to me if they leave with nothing out of the program is leadership skills,” said Deputy Alyssa L. Blanton, who serves as the Central District advisor.

• Participants explore all areas of law enforcement through training in police sciences, presentations from guest speakers and lecturers, and film training videos. The program covers domestic violence situations, crisis intervention, traffic stops, armed assailant scenarios, physical fitness and firearm safety and operation. 

The explorers serve the community in numerous ways, assisting the Sheriff’s Office with searches, directing parking at community functions, helping with registration and crowd control at runs and walk-a-thons, maintaining order at community football games, and providing security at regional and local camporees. 

Recent community service projects have included helping an elderly resident with medical issues maintain her home. 

“We spent half a day on a Saturday at her home helping. I felt like it was a teaching moment that you might run into these kinds of people and it’s not always their fault. We need to have compassion and help them, not just make assumptions,” Blanton said. 

The program operates across three districts covering all of Okaloosa County. The North District serves Crestview, Baker, Laurel Hill and Holt areas under Deputy Caitlin O’Connell. The East District covers Niceville, Valparaiso, Bluewater Bay, Destin and Eglin Air Force Base under Chad Smith. The Central District serves Fort Walton Beach, Shalimar, Cinco Bayou and Mary Esther under Blanton’s supervision.

• All explorer activities are recorded in personnel files that include certificates of appreciation for special events, departmental commendations for exemplary performance and any disciplinary actions. These documented records of community service and leadership capabilities become valuable resources when explorers apply for employment.

The program’s long-term impact is evident within the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, where seven current deputies are former explorers. One graduate, Mandy George, now serves as a program advisor after joining at age 12 and graduating three years ago. 

“Mandy went on a call and sent me a long message about how she felt like Explorers helped her handle this high stress call successfully,” Blanton said. “She mentioned the things that happened and said she didn’t think she would’ve handled it the way she had if it had not been for the stuff she learned in Explorers.”

The program recently showcased its training when participants brought home seven awards from their annual summer competition in Orlando, competing in scenarios including active shooter situations, domestic violence responses and traffic stops. 

• “It was so great. They tried so hard and I was so proud of them,” Blanton said.

Currently serving about 15 to 16 teens who meet every other week, the program previously operated at all three district locations before COVID-19 reduced participation. The explorers also receive firearms training at the OSCO range, learning safety and marksmanship skills. 

To join, interested youth must complete an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office background check, pass an interview with senior explorers and advisors, and attend three meetings before being sworn in as official explorers. All activities are recorded in personnel files that can serve as resources when applying for employment.

To fund the expensive annual competition, the Explorers will host their third annual 5K color run and walk on March 28, 2026, at 9 a.m. at 1170 MLK Jr. Boulevard on the NWFSC campus in Fort Walton Beach. Registration is $25 and the event will feature food trucks and vendors.

• “Competition is really expensive every year. So we do a color run fundraiser every spring to raise money,” Blanton said.

Those interested in participating or sponsoring the color run can contact Blanton at ablanton@sheriff-okaloosa.org. A QR code for registration is also available on the event flyer posted on the Sheriff’s Office website.