Local group member helps police uncover counterfeiting ring
Morgan Hill – The alert Baskin-Robbins clerk who spotted a fake $20 last week, leading to the exposure of a counterfeiting ring and the arrest of five, is a part of the Morgan Hill Police Department’s Explorer program.
The program is designed to give teens ages 14-20 the opportunity to learn about police work and about themselves.
The 20-year-old clerk, Isabel Arevalo, recognized the bill was not legitimate and contacted police.
“I don’t know that she had seen a counterfeit bill before, that’s not really part of our program, but I do know that as an Explorer, she is a very observant person, she has a good head on her shoulders,” said Morgan Hill police Sgt. David Swing.
Arevalo said because of her experience working with money, she instantly recognized the bill as a fake.
“It was completely obvious,” she said. “He put the bill on the counter, and even before I picked it up, I could tell. The ink was wrong. When I picked it up, I could tell the paper was too thick.”
Though she didn’t learn about counterfeit bills as an Explorer, Arevalo said there are many valuable aspects to the program.
Morgan Hill police officer David Ray, who is an Explorer advisor, said the program’s value goes far beyond any law enforcement skills the teenagers learn.
“The neat thing to me, when you mentor them (is) seeing their growth and maturity,” Ray said. “The maturity is the big thing, the mental and emotional growth. A few of our Explorers have been somewhat wayward kids, and the program provides them with a sense of belonging, plus the positive influence of their peers. As well as our officers, who provide a pretty good influence.”
Through the program, teens learn how to use a two-way radio, how officers respond to different situations, how to complete police reports and other regular duties of officers.
Aside from learning about police procedure, Explorers learn discipline and good work habits as they are assigned to help with tasks such as filing, general housekeeping at the station, cleaning up the shooting range and the garage.
“The program builds confidence. It instills traits that will help these kids later in life in whatever career they choose,” Ray said. “They develop a command presence. They come out of their shell.”
The Morgan Hill Police Department has approximately 20 kids in the program at any time, Ray said. To enter the program, a teenager must have at least a 2.0 grade-point average. There is an application process, including an interview with the prospective Explorer and his or her parents, and a background check.
Explorers not only help out around the station and go on ride-alongs with officer-mentors, they also help out at community events. During the Mushroom Mardi Gras and the Fourth of July events, Explorers patrolled in uniform to keep an eye out for possible trouble as well as to enhance police presence in the crowds.
While Explorers cannot make arrests, they are equipped during the events with radios and can summon officers quickly if they spot trouble. The teens also don’t have the law enforcement training to go on patrol by themselves, to shoot a gun, join a police pursuit or other actions that require police academy training, according to Morgan Hill police Cmdr. Joe Sampson.
“They’re never on their own, in terms of driving a vehicle around; if they are on patrol, it’s with an officer,” Sampson said. “They may, if they’re 18 or older, drive a vehicle down to Gilroy for the Garlic Festival, for example, but they would not be on patrol.”
For Arevalo, participation in the Explorer program, whether it’s working the Mardi Gras or riding with an officer, may be a pathway to a future career in law enforcement.
“She asks a lot of questions. She’s very eager to learn,” said Morgan Hill police officer Greg Dini. Arevalo rides with Dini and handles most of his radio traffic, he said. “She wants to learn more about the profession so she can make a good decision about her career.”
Arevalo, who works and attends Gavilan College, said her major is in liberal studies social work, and she plans to finish her studies then attend San Jose State to complete her bachelor’s degree. She is considering becoming a police officer, she said.
“Since high school, it’s been something I’ve thought about; being an Explorer lets me see what it would be like,” she said.
