OTHELLO — Othello police honored three of their own and six of the department’s Explorers during a short presentation at Monday’s regular meeting of the Othello City Council.

The Othello Police Department honored Sgt. Brent McFarlane as supervisor of the year for 2019, Steven Perez as officer of the year, and Evelyn Miron as the department’s Administrative Assistant of the year.

According to Schenck, this is the third year in a row that McFarlane, who has been a sergeant for the OPD for the last three years, has received the award. McFarlane has been with the OPD for the last six years and prior to that worked for the state Department of Corrections.

Perez has worked for the OPD for the last five years and “has extensive training in narcotics,” Schenck said, while Miron has been with the OPD since 2018 and is a 2012 graduate of Othello High School.

Also honored Monday were six members of the department’s Explorers — high school students who volunteer to learn about law enforcement and participate in police activities.

The six — Britney Ramirez, Angela Hernandez, Anabelen Rico, Jordy Ramirez, Kade Stevenson and Leonardo Faustino — all attended the winter session of the Washington Law Enforcement Explorer Association Academy.

“It lasts one week,” Schenck said. “They show up, sleep in barracks, their time is budgeted every minute of the day with marching, physical fitness, training, mock scenarios.”

While he hasn’t hired any former Explorers as new officers in Othello, Schenck said he regularly did during his time in Sunnyside, and appreciated them as officers because “they knew exactly what they are getting into.”

“I have seen some great results from Explorers,” he added.

Schenck told council members the OPD is currently raising money to buy a van so it can transport more than a handful of Explorers to events around the state.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com.