Pubdate: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 Source: New Haven Register (CT) Copyright: 2010 New Haven Register Contact: http://www.nhregister.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/292 Author: Amanda Pinto, Register Staff WEST HAVEN HOSTS D.A.R.E. OFFICER TRAINING WEST HAVEN - In one corner of the playground outside Washington School, Clinton Police Officer Matthew Reed had a group of young campers laughing, as he joked and led a conversation about friendship and peer pressure. Across the parking lot, West Haven Officer Kim Bennett sat with a group of 6, 7 and 8 year olds, listening to their questions and suggestions, and teaching them about safe decision making. But the children aren't the students here, the police officers are. For two weeks, West Haven has hosted 27 officers from across the state and country in the city's first Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer training program. The officers went through about 100 hours of training, and last week put those skills to use, teaching the D.A.R.E. curriculum at seven camps that comprise the city's Summer Playground Program, said Trooper Ralph Morales, who ran the training. The state runs one such training program each year, Morales said. The officers graduated from the program Friday at the state Police Academy in Meriden. "This is part of our ongoing commitment to youth in our city and our partnership with our community," said Sgt. Martin Garcia. who will be supervising the Community Outreach Unit. "The officers were chosen because we felt they'd be an excellent fit to the program, and they absolutely are." The D.A.R.E. program equipped the cops - including city officers Bennett, Cortney Dorsi, Antoine Hayward, and William Maruottolo - with skills to manage classrooms, facilitate conversations about decision making, and substance abuse avoidance strategies, Morales said. For Bennett, being a D.A.R.E. officer is a chance to befriend children, some of whom don't have many resources, and help them when they have problems. To see Bennett talk to children about decision making, watch the video at www.newhavenregister.com. "It was just something I've always wanted to do," Bennett, who has been with the department for four years, said of being a D.A.R.E. officer. "I've always enjoyed working with kids; I have a son of my own. ... I try to be a role model for them, to be able to gain their trust so they feel comfortable with (cops) to be able to come to me and talk to me." - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D