On the heels of their most recent police tactical competition at the CHP Academy in Sacramento, the Manteca Police Explorer Unit is planning a drive-thru Mexican dinner on Wednesday, May 20, to help support their upcoming training and competitive meets.

The dinner is being hosted by the Las Casuelas Restaurant on West Yosemite Avenue with tickets available at the police department for $10 each or by calling Officer Michael Kelley at 456-8237.  The deadline for the ticket sales is Tuesday, May 12, at 5 p.m. 

Dinner will include chicken fajitas, carnitas, rice and beans with chips and salsa and will be delivered in the restaurant parking lot by the uniformed Explorers.

The Explorer cadets are trained in many areas of law enforcement to help guide them through their young lives.  They are preparing to attend academies and competitions with other high school aged students throughout the state that last year included Hawaii – many on track to someday become police officers.

In July, the Manteca cadets will be hosting a competition at East Union High School that includes units from Modesto, Tracy, Ripon and Stockton CHP Explorers.  Participating in the competition will be over 500 Explorers from all over California.  The website for the competition is http://centralvalleyexp.comp.com. There is a video on line from last year’s competition which was held at Ripon High school campus.

The Manteca Police Department and others have mentored Explorers who have become sworn officers in past years.  The ages for the program range from 14 to 21-year-olds.  To apply for the Manteca Explorer Program, applications may be picked up at the police department or by contacting a school resource officer on campus.