Cormorant Point isn’t exactly the best seaside place to spend a week in Narragansett during those hot and humid summer days. However, if you’re a member of a police-sponsored and coordinated Explorers program, it’s the place to be for one week in the summer.

Earlier this August, 45 youngsters ages 14 to 20 learned valuable lessons in all phases of hands-on police work at the Rhode Island Explorer Training Academy at Camp Varnum, a spacious ocean front facility operated by the Rhode Island Army National Guard.

A total of five members of the Warwick Police Department’s Explorer Post 327 – which is open to any youngster that is interested in a law enforcement career – along with Community Policing Officer Alfred Melucci and Sgt. John Kelly joined other cadets from across the state for what Academy Director and Charlestown Police Lt. Patrick McMahon called “another very successful training academy.”

With a sparkling sun shining on the spacious National Guard installation and sounds of the surf outside Camp Varnum, the traditional graduation ceremony featured upwards of 300 people who came to Narragansett to honor their favorite Explorer,

The weeklong camp, which included all Explorers living in buildings where U.S. Army recruits and soldiers who serve in the National Guard stay during different training exercises, featured day-and-night drills that ranged from classroom instruction of Criminal Procedure Law to Firearms Training System used by police departments throughout state.

“It was a great academy this year,” Melucci observed. “Every year each Explorer Post contributes to the curriculum for the Academy; this year the Warwick Post 327 taught classes on the hazards of drugs, DUI and motor vehicle accidents.”

Melucci, who also explained that the WPD’s highly-important youth program is sanctioned and part of the Narragansett Bay Council of Boy Scouts of America, added: “We also trained the Explorers in F.A.T.S. (Fire Arms Training System).”

The weeklong camp also featured a video based shoot – don’t shoot and range system – and instruction in an emergency operation and control driving course (EVOC) for the advanced Explorers at Quonset Point in North Kingstown.”

Warwick’s K-9 units also took part in this year’s Academy and came to Narragansett for what Melucci called “a very important and impressive demonstration.”

“It is important for people to know that all the Explorer Posts worked very well together during the week,” Melucci went on, “and that helps make the week the best experience possible for all the kids.”

Melucci, though, noted that “the week is not easy for those explorers who do attend the Academy. They are up at 5 a.m. for PT (physical training) and are running all day from class-to-class until 10 p.m. when its lights out for the night. It’s a full week of police work … they received training in domestic violence, law and procedure and hand cuffing just to name a few.”

It wasn’t all work, though; as Melucci explained “the Explorers did manage to get a couple of hours at a local beach.”

The Warwick Police Explorer Post 327 is currently accepting applications. For more information contact Melucci at 468-4431.