Not only was Milton named the best city in Georgia to live in earlier this year, but thanks to the diligent efforts of the Milton Police Department, we’re consistently ranked the second safest city in Georgia. Of course, the public helps contribute to community safety by being vigilant and always adhering to “see something, say something.”Building strong relationships between City staff and the community is something that is very important to me. Each department has its own unique way of doing that, and one of the ways our Milton Police Department does it is through our Milton Police Explorers program, which began in February 2015. Law enforcement exploring offers a hands-on program to young men and women who have completed sixth grade through age 20 and who may be interested in a possible career in law enforcement or the criminal justice field.
Approximately 30 youth have gone through Milton’s Police Explorers program since it began. The program has hosted students from Cambridge, Milton, and nearby South Forsyth High Schools as well as Legacy Academy, homeschooled students, and college students from the University of North Georgia and Georgia State University.
These students directly benefit from hands-on training and experience, but our community benefits as well. Milton Explorers are regularly out in the community serving and volunteering during City special events and festivals or providing support for department events such as Police Week.
In just four years, the Milton chapter has raked in numerous national and state awards, securing first, second, and third place rankings in categories such as business dispute, felony traffic stop, active shooter, D.U.I., officer survival, robbery, and suspicious death.
These recognitions are a testament to the quality of Milton’s program and demonstrate the connections the department is making with some of our youngest residents. The quality of our Explorers program was confirmed by state peers in 2018 when Milton Police Officer Chad West was selected as Advisor of the Year.
Already, we’ve seen past participants go on to pursue careers in the military and law enforcement — Jack Miller went to West Point in July; Parker Shaw is enrolled in the police academy at the University of North Georgia; and Josh Adleman is enrolled in the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech. Our hope is that these experiences draw Explorer graduates back to Milton in the future.
Finding ways to connect with local youth makes our community stronger. Those personal connections then allow our police officers to reach young residents, building trust and mutual respect. If you know someone who may be interested in learning more about Milton Police Explorers, contact Officer West at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
We’re all fortunate to have first responders who put their lives on the line for us daily.
to your business!