BREAKING IN THE LAW TEENS TRAINING TO WEAR THE BADGE.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Like a scene from the Vietnam war movie ``Full Metal Jacket,'' drill sergeants screamed in recruits' faces, walked on tables and ordered them do push-ups as punishment.

Except these recruits weren't training for the Army. They're local teen- agers enrolled in the Sheriff's Department's Explorer Academy, an academy that mirrors the Sheriff's Department's academy to train deputies.

``It's just like a regular sheriff's academy,'' said Lancaster sheriff's Sgt. Mike Kuper, who supervises the local program. ``They go through pretty much the same thing here that they would in the actual academy. It gets them ready.''

Saturday was the first day of the intensive training, and already instructors and drill sergeants - who are teen-agers themselves - were faced with the largest class they have ever had.

With more than 75 recruits, nearly 30 more than usual, to train and only six drill instructors, officials said the class is going to be tough but that their strict standards won't change.

``We want them all to graduate, but we're not going to lower our standards to get them through,'' said senior drill sergeant Micah Currado, a 19-year-old who has been in the Explorer program for 2 1/2 years.

Recruits are as young as 15 and come from all over the Antelope Valley, and in this class from as far as Santa Clarita and Crescenta Valley. Most are interested in law enforcement careers, instructors say, and many go on to the sheriff's academy after they are old enough.

The teens attend classes every Saturday for 18 weeks.

Explorers receive instruction in basic criminal and traffic law, the department's morals and ethics standards, sexual harassment policy, cultural diversity, physical training, personal safety and self-defense, radio procedures and spelling and grammar for report writing.

The course also includes field trips to jail facilities and the department's shooting range to learn how to fire department-issued shotguns and 9 mm handguns.

To get through the training course, though, recruits must learn how to answer senior Explorers with ``sir, yes sir'' and request permission to speak before asking questions. Any mistake on the part of the recruit can result in added physical training, usually 20 or more push-ups.

According to officials and those involved with the academy, the program not only introduces teens to the basics of a law enforcement career but also increases self-confidence and leadership skills.

Upon graduating from the academy, Explorers are assigned to the sheriff's station nearest their homes. They do volunteer work taking fingerprints, working at community events, and assisting deputies in the field during ride-alongs.

Many of the recruits believe the first day, ``shock day,'' is the toughest but say they believe they'll make it through the grueling training.

``If you say it wasn't what you're looking for, then you just weren't strong enough to make it,'' said Stacie Stukas, 16, who stood at attention while she spoke to a reporter, even out of sight of drill instructors. ``I thought law enforcement would be a great career, and this program introduces us to that. It's not really what I expected, though. I thought there would be more yelling but I'm sure that will come.''

Officials say less than half of the recruits who start the academy actually graduate. Of those who do, more than half go into law enforcement careers.

Currado is now working as a community service officer with the Lancaster station and looking into joining the Marine Reserves.

For more information on the Explorer program or to find out about the next academy, call the Lancaster sheriff's station at [phone].

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(color) Instructor Salvador Lerma stands over a teen performing push-ups in the Sheriff's Department's Explorer Academy.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News