Warren Police Department Law Enforcement Explorers (from left) Lt. Luke Rizzardi, Sgt. Zach Nugent, Explorer Jake Nugent, Senior Chief Derek Hanlin, and Chief Derick Nowacki show off the medals they earned at the 16th annual Law Enforcement Exploring Day Conference in Williamsville, N.Y.

While experiencing some realistic and practical law enforcement scenarios, Warren Police Explorers were also winning awards.

The Warren Police Department Law Enforcement Explorer Post participated in the 16th annual Law Enforcement Exploring Day Conference outside of Buffalo with four New York posts.

“The conference includes seven team scenarios which are designed to provide realistic and practical experience to prepare Explorers for the types of situations they would have to face in law enforcement careers,” Explorer Advisor and City of Warren Police Sgt. Brandon Deppen said. “The scenarios included traffic stop, DUI traffic stop, domestic intervention, unknown call, mental health call, officer down, and building search.”

“There were also individual events which included the super physical/mental agility station, oral interview board, and the New York State Civil Service Exam,” Deppen said.

Senior Chief Derek Hanlin and Chief Derick Nowacki took first place in traffic stop (station 1), domestic intervention, and mental health response; second place in building search, DUI traffic stop, and unknown call; and fourth place in officer down.

Lt. Luke Rizzardi and Sgt. Zach Nugent took first place in traffic stop (station 2); and fourth place in DUI traffic stop.

“Explorer Jake Nugent teamed up with a member of the Cheektowaga Police Explorer Post and took second in traffic stop and officer down; and fourth in building search,” Deppen said.

Hanlin earned a first in the civil service exam; and a second in super agility. Nowacki took first in the oral interview, and super agility; and fourth in the civil service exam.

In addition to Warren and Cheektowaga, the participating posts were the Town of Tonawanda Police, Buffalo Police, and Erie (N.Y.) County Sheriff’s Office.