Teen preps for career through BSO Explorers

Olivia Johnson is 15 years old and well on her way to a career in law enforcement. The Oakland Park resident credits the Broward Sheriff ’s Office Explorers program for many of her accomplishments.

“Being in the Explorer program introduced me to different parts of law enforcement and exposed me to much more than I would not being in the program,” Johnson said.

In weekly sessions, teens wear uniforms and interact alongside deputies. Training covers a wide range of topics including traffic, patrol, detective work and arrest procedures.

Cadets gain a foundation that equips them for educational opportunities and interviews, said BSO Sgt. Bruce McGregor of the agency’s Oakland Park office.

“We make sure our kids are very well prepared when they get through the Explorer Academy,” McGregor said. “We cover a lot of activities and try to get a lot of information they can use to put on an application and be able to speak about.”

Johnson used those skills to ace her application to the annual FBI Youth Academy. From more than 1,000 hopefuls across the U.S., she won a seat at the FBI’s weeklong intensive course held in Miami last summer.

“It was totally the best experience ever,” Johnson said. “They introduced us to so many different parts and jobs people go to in the FBI. … Not all are field-based.”

She was surprised to learn “the most important people are behind the computer” directing agents where to go, she said. Other “great opportunities” are bomb technicians and in the Secret Service.

Understanding the para-military structure serves as preparation for her ultimate goal of college at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.

“My main focus is the Coast Guard because I’m a swimmer,” Johnson said. “In school I’ve been focusing on covering the courses required for the Coast Guard Academy and my GPA.”

The Fort Lauderdale High School student prioritizes her time between schoolwork and her parttime job as a lifeguard.

It’s good to have a social life, but it’s important to plan for a career, she explains.

“You can’t get anywhere when you hang out with your friends,” Johnson said. “If you’re having fun and don’t know what you want to do in the future and get stuck with your friends, they aren’t going to help you with that.”

hwolt@sun-sentinel.com