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Manteca Police Explorers play Santa
Manteca Explorer gifts DSC 0329
The Gray grandchildren were anxious to tear open their wrapped presents from the Manteca Police Explorers. - photo by GLENN KAHL/ The Bulletin

The Manteca Police Explorers played Santa in a big way spending much of their fund raising money from the past year.
The Explorers and their police officer mentors had lunch together Saturday and then drove to the small apartment of Gloria Gray where they delivered boxes of gifts for the six grandchildren she has been taking care in the absence of their mom.
“I’ve got 23 grandkids and nine great grandkids,” Gray said proudly of her family. 
Asked how she could manage to schedule the use of the one bathroom with two girls and four boys, she replied with a twinkle in her eye, “Grandma goes first!”
The small apartment was stuffed to standing room only status with the cadets and police officers filling the small living room as children ripped the wrapping off their gifts.
The Explorers spent several hundred dollars on the gifts.
 The Law Enforcement Explorer program is a co-ed division of the Boy Scouts of America Explorer Program. Manteca Police Post 805 has up to 20 explorers between the ages of 14 – 20 who are interested in a career in Law Enforcement. Explorers work with the department in community events and with officers in the department. Police Explorers can be seen riding patrol with officer, working DUI checkpoints, and community events. The Explorer Program made its debut in Manteca in 1967 and has been a vital part of the community ever since. Over the course of three decades the Explorer Program has been ranked as one of the best in the Nation.
Explorers compete in Law Enforcement Explorer Competitions. The explorer program also maintains a 1947 Chevy Fleetmaster vintage police car.
Explorers are required to maintain a 2.0 grade average and have a good discipline record at school. Explorers are required to pass a background check that is consistent with background checks for police officers. To apply for the Explorer Program  contact Explorer Advisors for more information. Officer M. Kelly (209) 456-8237 Officer J. Machado (209) 456-8197

To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.