Redmond Police Explorer Earns State's Top Honor

Redmond Police Explorer Felicia “Archie” Archuleta has been named the 2010 Washington Explorer of the Year Award by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC). 

Archuleta, a 20 year old graduate, has been part of Redmond Explorer Post 2913 for two years and serves as captain, the highest ranking within the post. She is a sociology major at Bellevue College Sociology and aspires to begin a law enforcement career. Some of her responsibilities at the Redmond Explorer Post include running and planning meetings, supervising explorers at events, and coordinating communication with the post.

Archuleta's first interaction with the was not nearly as positive. In February 2008, she called 911 for help during a domestic violence incident involving her mother. Redmond Police responded and helped Felicia escape an abusive situation. She attended her first Explorer meeting later that year and has been on the fast track to a law enforcement career ever since. 

“This whole experience as an explorer has been humbling,” Archuleta said in a news release. “I’ve learned many valuable lessons from the Redmond Police Department as well as from my new family, the Valentines. I’m very lucky to be surrounded by people who believe in me, and I owe it to them, and to myself, to continue succeeding towards a career in law enforcement.

“Archie epitomizes the type of young adult who will make a successful officer,” explorer adviser Officer Julie Beard said in the news release.  “She manages to excel in Exploring while still balancing a 25-40 hour work schedule, full-time college schedule, and a personal life.”  

The Redmond Explorer Post is a group of 14- to 20-year-old volunteers who are interested in law enforcement. The volunteers assist officers with training scenarios, traffic control at serious collisions, collecting evidence items from crime scenes, and helping diagram large crime scenes.

This year’s award continues a string of success stories for the Redmond Explorer Post 2913.  In 2008, it won the Washington State Explorer Post of the Year, and Officer Julie Beard received the Washington State Explorer Adviser of the Year in 2009.

For more information about Redmond Explorer Post 2913, contact Officer Julie Beard at 425-556-2659 or visit www.redmond.gov/Residents/VolunteerOpportunities/PublicSafety.

— From a Redmond Police Department news release