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DARE EXPANDS

Drug Abuse Resistance Education or DARE has been around nationally since 1983.  This past week the Parsons Police Department expanded its DARE program in hopes of reaching and helping more students.  This is a positive step for students and the police. 

Public Safety Officer Sherri McGuire recently graduated from DARE school and joined Sgt.  Walter Largent as the second DARE-trained officer on the Parsons force.  The program consists of 80 hours of training in areas such as child development, classroom management, teaching techniques and communication skills.  With the unfortunate increase of drug use around the country and now the proliferation of over-the-counter drug abuse this couldn't have come at a better time.  And having two officers who can cover for each other will ensure the program doesn't miss a beat in teaching kids to say no to drugs. 

But this program is about more than just teaching kids about drugs. 

The DARE program teaches a set of life skills to our young children to not only avoid drugs but also to avoid the temptation of gangs and violence. 

Reaching young children and teaching them about the dangers of gang life before the gangs do is essential.  In many cases young children see gangs as a way to fit in, but DARE can open a child's eyes to see the subtle pressures that lead to joining gangs.  But children aren't the only ones who benefit from DARE. 

By having a thriving DARE program in place, the Parsons Police Department will be building better relationships with the community.  Programs such as this allow students to see officers in a helping role instead of strictly an enforcement role.  This will open up lines of communication between the police and our youth.  The program "humanizes" the officers and allows students to see them as people.  DARE also can open up communication between schools, parents and officers on a variety of issues. 

DARE programs around the country have proven effective.  By having more trained officers in Parsons we are showing an increased interest in the well being of our youth.  And in many cases, simply showing our young children we care about them and how they live their lives can make all the difference in the world.