DARE Officer Robin Short

Learning to say "No" and not feeling compelled to go along with the crowd is the essence of D.A.R.E., an anti-drug program started in Ohio in 1987. The program is cosponsored by the Ohio Attorney General, the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and the Ohio Department of Education, in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies and school districts across the state.

D.A.R.E. - Drug Abuse Resistance Education - is a preventative program originally developed in Los Angeles. Uniformed law enforcement officers teach the curriculum in schools, aiming to equip young people with the skills to resist peer pressure to experiment with harmful drugs. The concept is straightforward and simple - D.A.R.E. to say "No!"

Approximately 650 Ohio law enforcement officers who have been trained to teach the D.A.R.E. program work in nearly every county of Ohio. Since 1987, more than 1.5 million Ohio school children have gone through the D.A.R.E. program. The program's primary focus is fifth and sixth graders, because studies indicate that children in these grades are most responsive to prevention education. the curriculum is reinforced throughout junior high and high school.

A Serious Problem

D.A.R.E. was initiated because there continues to be an alarming increase in drug use among young people. Statistics show that 1 in 12 young people smoke marijuana regularly. Use of inhalants and other "designer drugs" is rising also. While use of illicit drugs overall is falling nationally, the trend of drug abuse among young people continues to grow.

In the last few years, the number of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 using hallucinogens, including LSD, has gone up 183 percent, according to a recent study by the federal government. The same study found that marijuana use among kids has jumped 105 percent; cocaine use has increased 166 percent; 4.5 million kids smoke cigarettes; and 10 million people under 21 had a drink within the last month.

Resistance Education

Many teens thinks smoking, drinking and using exotic drugs are passports to adulthood. Rather than emphasizing traditional scare tactics that highlight the harmful effects of drugs, D.A.R.E. tries to teach students what being grown-up really means: not giving in to peer pressure, making your own decisions and learning to cope with life's challenges in positive ways.

A Heavy Dose of Instruction

One of the unique features of D.A.R.E. is the use of police officers and sheriff's deputies as instructors. The D.A.R.E. officer's main audience is fifth and sixth grade students. He or she visits each class once a week and stays on campus all day, interacting with students during lunch or recess.

Officers selected for this "classroom beat" have been carefully screened and are selected for their abilities in human relations and communications. Specialists in education and psychology train them to present the D.A.R.E. lesson program in an engaging and effective manner.

The D.A.R.E. curriculum focuses on four major areas:
Providing accurate information about alcohol and drugs
Teaching students decision making skills
Showing them how how to resist peer pressure
Helping them develop alternatives to drug use

D.A.R.E. instructors employ a variety of activity oriented techniques to involve students in group discussions, role playing exercises and a healthy exchange of ideas and feelings.

Parents, teachers and school administrators are also trained by D.A.R.E. officers, who teach them how to recognize the signs of drug abuse in young people, how to intervene and where to seek assistance.

An Effective Program

Recent studies have found that children who have been through the D.A.R.E. program are less likely to get involved in alcohol and drug abuse than those who have not experienced the D.A.R.E. curriculum. In Ohio, nine out of 10 teachers and principals say D.A.R.E. makes a positive difference in student's attitudes toward drugs.

In Their Own Words

One Ohio D.A.R.E. graduate recently wrote:
"D.A.R.E. helped me to understand the dangers of drugs and violence. If more people knew what the effects of drugs and violence actually were, they might get serious and promise to never use drugs. I feel it is vital that we keep children 'drug free.' We are the next generation..."

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program is under the supervision of the Administrative Bureau Lieutenant. Ptl. Robin Short also handles many of the Division's crime prevention concerns in conjunction with the Officers. The Bowling Green Police Division continues its fight in the "War Against Drugs" by being actively involved in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

It is our belief that by teaching skills to the students in our schools, we are effectively "arming" them with the weapons they need to "Just Say No" to drugs. The Division became involved in the D.A.R.E. program when Ptl. Grant Tansel graduated from the first D.A.R.E. Officer training program, taught at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy in London, OH.

The D.A.R.E. program was expanded to the Bowling Green Junior High School in 1990 and into Bowling Green Senior High School in 1991. The Bowling Green Police Division became one of the first programs outside of Los Angeles to implement the new Senior High program.

1991 also saw the creation of Bowling Green's D.A.R.E. Graduate Club in the Junior High School. This club for graduates promotes a positive, drug free lifestyle through drug free sponsored activities.

The Division celebrated the tenth year anniversary of its D.A.R.E. program in 1998. Several supporters were recognized for their generosity and commitment to the program. These supporters included the Bowling Green Police Division, Bowling Green City Schools, the Bowling Green Sentinel Tribune, Mike Marsh and Family and Wizard Graphics.

The Bowling Green Police Division continues to be a leader in the D.A.R.E. program, not only in Ohio, but in the entire nation. The future holds many challenges and opportunities to continue the fight against drug abuse.