Pubdate: Wed, 01 May 2002
Source: Blade, The (OH)
Copyright: 2002 The Blade
Contact:  http://www.toledoblade.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/48
Author: Kim Bates
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)

DUI ARREST WON'T ALTER D.A.R.E. GRADUATION

NAPOLEON - Students involved in a program that teaches them to say no 
to drugs and alcohol will still receive their graduation T-shirts and 
certificates even though their instructor has been arrested for 
drunken driving.

Henry County Sheriff John Nye said yesterday that deputies would drop 
off materials at the schools on or before their D.A.R.E. graduation 
dates. He said deputies would be available to talk with students 
about the arrest. "We will address the situation to schools," Sheriff 
Nye said. "It's probably something they've learned through D.A.R.E: 
No matter what, we make choices and there are consequences."

After her arrest, Ms. Pittman was placed on administrative suspension 
with pay while a sheriff's detective investigates the case. The probe 
could take several days to complete.

Depending on the results, Ms. Pittman could be suspended or fired 
from her job. Ms. Pittman has been a sheriff's deputy for nearly 25 
years. She has headed the county's D.A.R.E. program for four years.

D.A.R.E. is the acronym for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. The 
program is taught in hundreds of school districts across the United 
States.

Through her job, Ms. Pittman has appeared daily in Henry County 
schools, teaching children to resist peer pressure and live drug-free 
and alcohol-free lives.

Students usually spend part of an entire school year in the program. 
When they graduate, schools hold a special ceremony, where they hand 
out certificates and T-shirts with the D.A.R.E. insignia to pupils.

An Ohio Highway Patrol trooper who stopped Ms. Pittman about 1:18 
a.m. at Henry County Road L and State Rt. 65 noted on her ticket that 
the smell of alcohol was detected on her breath.

Ms. Pittman refused to take a breathalyzer test, which is her right 
under Ohio law. But the refusal results in an automatic one-year 
license suspension.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charges in Napoleon Municipal 
Court. A pretrial conference is scheduled for May 20.

Ms. Pittman has declined to comment, but her attorney, E. Charles 
Bates of Defiance, said yesterday that it is not illegal to have a 
drink and drive.

"It is not a crime to consume some alcohol and drive," Mr. Bates. "It 
is not unusual for people to be pulled over for a taillight but that 
does not mean impairment."

Mr. Bates said he believed the initial traffic stop was for a missing 
taillight. The attorney was not in his office yesterday, so he was 
unable check his notes to see where his client was coming from at the 
time of her arrest.

The drunk driving case was turned over to the Napoleon city 
prosecutor's office by the Ohio Highway Patrol. Law Director David 
Grahn said he could not comment on the matter because he planned to 
request yesterdaythat a special prosecutor, David Land of Defiance, 
be appointed to the case.

"I felt it would be prudent to bring it to outside counsel because it 
involves the sheriff's department," Mr. Grahn said.

School officials were notified of Ms. Pittman's arrest by the 
sheriff's office. Sheriff Nye said no one had yet requested to have 
deputies speak on the issue, but he planned this week to call area 
principals and offer the service.

Central Elementary Principal Tom Jenny said he believes it's 
important for his two fifth-grade classes to have a graduation.

He said the school probably would address the situation with the 
students and seek out a deputy to talk to them as well. Without doing 
so, Mr. Jenny said he fears news of the arrest could leave a bad 
impression on the youths.

"I don't want it to taint their picture of law enforcement," Mr. Jenny said.
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