The Collierville Police Department recently hired a familiar face to work in dispatch.
Alex Javer is a 22-year-old typical college student, and a former Collierville Explorer.
The Collierville Police Explorer Program is for young adults between the ages of 14 and 20 who are interested in learning about law enforcement, experiencing hands-on instruction and volunteering service with the Collierville Police Department.
After spending four years with the Explorers, Javer decided to pursue a career in law enforcement.
“I enjoyed learning about the specialty units like the S.W.A.T. Team and Bomb Squad, and assisting others with our special assignments like traffic control during Race for the Cure,” said Javer.
In addition to learning more about the daily life of police officers in the program, Javer grew up in a unique household with both of her parents in law enforcement.
Mike and Barbara Javer are lieutenants for the Memphis Police Department.
“I’ve always admired our police officers,” said Javer, “but learning exactly what they do and how they serve the community inspired me.”
A lifelong resident of Collierville and 2011 graduate of Collierville High School, Javer is looking forward to working in Dispatch and continuing her law enforcement education. In her free time, she enjoys riding her family’s horses and spending time with her younger brother, Russell.
Javer isn’t the first Collierville Explorer to later join the Collierville Police Department as an employee.
At age 14, CPD Lieutenant Kenneth Rowlett joined the Collierville Explorers, worked in the Collierville Jail after graduating high school, studied criminology in college, became a Collierville police officer in 2003, and was promoted to lieutenant in 2008.
“The Explorer Program is a great opportunity to see what law enforcement is like,” said Rowlett. “The hands-on experience with patrol officers guided me to what I wanted to do for a career.”
“The Explorers for the Collierville Police Department has proven to be an effective entry level tool to law enforcement,” commented Larry Goodwin, Collierville Police Chief. “This has been exhibited by the retention of the explorers who have gone on to be valuable employees of the police department.”
With programs such as the Citizen’s Police Academy, Special Citizen Volunteer Program and Collierville Police Explorers, residents have the opportunity to learn about law enforcement and positively interact with Collierville Police Officers.
