LAPD Explorer Chief Selected

Los Angeles:  The Los Angeles Police Department is proud to announce the selection of its Explorer Chief, Gloria Hernandez.

Chief Explorer Hernandez presently holds the rank of Captain at the San Pedro High School Police Academy Magnet Program and was also an Explorer Commander.  She also received notification last night that she had been accepted to attend the University of California, Los Angeles where she intends to study law.  In her new role, Chief Explorer Hernandez exercises functional command for all Department Explorers under the guidance of the Office of Operations.  She also supervises the twelve Explorer Commanders who serve as liaisons to the Area Posts.

Gloria cites as some of her many goals the chance to enhance leadership opportunities and develop age-appropriate training not only for Magnet Cadets and Explorers, but also for the thousands of young people who participate in our other Department youth enrichment initiatives.  She is a superb example of how an investment in our youth today has the great potential of paying meaningful and rich dividends in the future.
 
Chief Earl Paysinger, Commanding Officer of Operations, said “Please join me in congratulating Explorer Commander Gloria Hernandez for being named the next Chief Explorer for the Department Explorer Program.  This is a truly wonderful honor for an outstanding young lady!”

Chief Explorer Hernandez succeeds Eduardo Vega who celebrated his 21st birthday this month.  Her assignment to this position is effective immediately.

Comments

[Explorer Perez M.]

I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS EXPLORER IN GETTING CHIEF. HOWEVER I DON'T BELIEVE SHE WAS THE BEST QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION. SEEING THE FACT THAT SHE RECENTLY GRADUATED THE EXPLORER ACADEMY BACK IN SEPTEMBER 7, 2024 CLASS OF '91. NOT ONLY HAS SHE BEEN AN EXPLORER FOR A ABOUT 5 MONTHS BUT I FEEL SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO LEAD ALL EXPLORERS.THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT SHE IS A WONDERFUL PERSON, AS I HAVE MET HER AND SHE SEEMS LIKE A WONDERFUL PERSON, BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT THERE WERE TWO OTHER COMMANDERS GOING FOR THIS EXACT SAME POSITION THAT I FEEL WERE BETTER QUALIFIED TO RUN THE EXPLORER PROGRAM AS CHIEF. NOT ONLY HAVE THEY BEEN EXPLORERS FOR YEARS BUT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY'S AND HAVE DONE WHATEVER IS IN THERE POWER TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM A GOOD EXPERIENCE. BOTH THESE OTHER TWO COMMANDERS THAT WERE NOT CHOSEN HAVE BEEN THROUGH EITHER THE WHOLE CHAIN OF COMMANDS OR ALMOST THE WHOLE CHAIN OF COMMANDS. WHEN THEY WERE PROMOTED TO COMMANDERS THEY EITHER HAD THE RANK OF A CAPTAIN OR A LIEUTENANT. MEANING THAT THEY HAD WORKED HARD TO GET TO WHERE THEY ARE NOW AND HAVE BEEN LEADERS TO THEIR OWN POSTS FOR QUITE A WHILE.COMMANDER GARZA GRADUATED CLASS OF '81 AND COMMANDER MARTINEZ GRADUATED CLASS OF '84, NOW MY ONLY QUESTION TO CHIEF EARL PAYSINGER IS, WHY WHEN WE HAVE TWO COMMANDERS WHICH HAVE MUCH MORE EXPERIENCE AND A LONG TIME IN THE EXPLORER PROGRAM, IS IT THAT SOMEONE WHO JUST GRADUATED THE ACADEMY GOT SUCH A HIGH POSITION WITHOUT MUCH EXPERIENCE?

[pdhog]

Welcome to the realities of modern law enforcement and the LAPD. I guarentee you that if you come on the job you will ask youself the same question a hundred times over. Qualifications have no bearing. The consideration is perdominately to "fit". Promotions are based on criteria such as, "The get-along factor"; "This person 'looks' like the person we want the community to see promoted"; and, the biggie, "They know how to say yes and are an all around nice person". All you can do is grin, bear it, do the job to satisfy yourself. Otherwise-find a different line of work.

[?]

Welcome to LAPD explorer Perez, if u decide to pursue this career, you will see a lot of promotions just like this.

[Hernandez,M]

I PERSONALLY AGREE I THINK AND SPEAK FOR MANY OTHER EXPLORERS I WAS AN EXPLORER WHO HAD 4 YEARS ON AND THEY ASCENDED TO THE RANK OF CAPTAIN AND I PERSONALLY DISAGREE WITH THIS DECISION OF MAKING A "BRAND NEW" EXPLORER INTO THE CHIEF OF EXPLORERS, THERE WAS TWO FEMALES WHO WERE EXTREMELY MORE QUALIFIED AND EXPEREIENCED THAN THIS INDIVIUAL. MY QUESTION FOR CHIEF PAYSINGER IS WOULD YOU HAVE LIKE IT IF THE BOARD OF COMMISSION WOULD PROMOTE A BRAND NEW P-2 THAT CAME FROM ANOTHER AGENCY ALL THE WAY TO CHIEF TO TAKE YOUR FUTURE SPOT, EVEN THOUGH YOU WORKED EXREMELY HARD TO GET WHERE YOU'RE AT, AND HE OR SHE WOULD BE PROMOTED IMMEDIATELY?