Source: Modesto Bee (CA) Contact: http://www.modbee.com/man/help/contact.html Website: http://www.modbee.com/ Pubdate: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 Author: Dennis Roberts Bee staff writer EXPLORER POST 805 AWAITING CONTEST MANTECA -- If a presidential motorcade ever comes through town, Explorers Law Enforcement Post 805 will be ready. Presidential Motorcade Security is one of 11 techniques the troop has been practicing in preparation for the annual Code 3 Explorer Competition Saturday and Sunday in Altadena. Eight Explorers and four adult chaperons will head for Southern California on Friday. The trip is being funded with earnings from events such as the annual National Night Out car cruise and with a $450 gift from the Kiwanis Club. Last year, in their first time competing in the event, the post took a first place in Traffic Collision Investigation, a fourth in Jetliner Hijacking Intervention and a fifth in Driving Under the Influence Traffic Stop. "We've been practicing every day for the last two weeks, four hours a day," Explorer Jolie Sturges said. "The one I'm looking forward to most is the Presidential Motorcade. This is the first year they've done it, and the Secret Service will have their Suburbans and limos there and we get to actually use those." Sturges said some Explorer posts arrive at the competition with very little preparation, but Post 805 goes all out. "Last year, when we got fourth place in Jetliner Hijacking, the team went to the airport and got the floor plans for every airplane. So when the judges said 'United Airlines,' they just got out the floor plans for that and knew just what to do. No one else had done that." Events change from year to year. This year, the post will compete in Felony Traffic Stop, Crime Scene Investigation, Building Search, Presidential Motorcade, DUI Traffic Stop, Undercover Drug Bust, Marijuana Garden Raid, Officer Down-Barricaded Suspect and Crash Victim Extrication. The Explorers taking part this year are Michael Dittman, Randy Huffman, Ian Osborn, Les Rowe, Dennis Schupp, Jolie Sturges, Jon Thayer and Eddie Thomason. They'll be accompanied by officer John Machado of the Police Department and his wife, Jennifer, and community services officer Rex Osborn and his wife, Teri. Post 805 will compete against about 400 other Explorers. - --- Checked-by: Mike Gogulski