This past weekend, the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Program embarked on an exciting journey to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to compete in the Scouting America Winterfest National competition. The event brought together a diverse group of organizations, including Boy Scouts, Adventurer Scouts, Sea Scouts, EMS/Fire Explorers, and Law Enforcement Explorer posts from across the country.
Post #8 proudly represented Bulloch County, participating in five challenging events that tested their skills, teamwork, and adaptability.
The first event, “Burglary in Progress,” required them to respond to a simulated 911 call from a homeowner reporting a break-in. Post #8 excelled, demonstrating professionalism in suspect apprehension and team communication.
Next up was the Physical Agility challenge, a high-intensity workout to be completed in under seven minutes. Each member of Post #8 displayed outstanding fitness, finishing the course in under 1 minute and 30 seconds.
In the Mock Traffic Stop scenario, Post #8 executed a stop on a vehicle that ran a red light. Their attention to detail and professionalism impressed the event graders, earning them high praise. The team also participated in a Traffic Stop with an Intoxicated Driver, a valuable experience where they learned field sobriety techniques and best practices from experienced professionals.
In their final scenario, the explorers responded to a simulated 911 Hang-Up Call at a doctor’s office. They skillfully managed a tense situation between a doctor and assistant arguing over an emergency appointment error, demonstrating investigative skills and conflict de-escalation techniques before making an arrest.
The trip was a resounding success—not only for their strong performance in the competition but also for fostering personal growth, team cohesion, and invaluable experiences. The dedication, professionalism, and spirit displayed by Post #8 made Bulloch County proud.
Explorer Post #8 is funded by community support. If you’d like to contribute to this valuable program and help support our youth, please visit the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office website and click the donation button on the Explorer tab.
