DRUG EDUCATION PROGRAM CUT FROM COUNTY BUDGET

The handwriting is a little sketchy, but the message from elementary
students is clear-bring back the DARE program.

Facing budget pressure from Walworth County supervisors and a need
to put more deputies on the road, the Walworth County Sheriff's
Department eliminated the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program
from its 2007 budget, Sheriff David Graves said.

"It's not a decision I wanted to make, but one I feel I had to," he said.

An external study of the sheriff's department recommends at least
nine more patrol deputies.

The last round of graduates earned their DARE diplomas in December.

But more students want that opportunity, and parents, teachers and
students are clamoring for it.

Pell Lake's Star Center Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Thomas
Jooss had DARE graduates write county board supervisors expressing
their feelings about the elimination of the drug, alcohol, gang and
violence education program.

"I think you should keep DARE going so our younger grades should get
educated with this great knowledge," wrote Gabriel Katzenberg. "I
have learned so much, like there are over 200 known poisons in
cigarette smoke.

When I heard you were canceling DARE, I was amazed you were going to
cancel a program that kept kids away from drugs."

Brittany Campbell wrote: "I think the DARE program is an important
program. There has been less drunk driver ever since the DARE
program started. If it stops, younger kids will not learn all the facts."

Deputy Don Crowley taught DARE in about 17 county schools for the
last 15 years. More than 15,000 kids have gone through DARE

It was his full-time job to teach elementary students about the
dangers of drugs, alcohol, tobacco and gangs and be a reassuring
face children could trust.

He saw it as a proactive rather than a reactive program, such as
jail, rehabilitation or counseling.

The program does more than the standard drug, alcohol and gang
resistance training, he says.

Crowley cited one example of three students confidentially telling
him they were sexually assaulted, which led to an arrest. Another
student told Crowley he was contemplating suicide and got help
before it was too late, Crowley said.

Without DARE, Crowley said, "It's the kids that lose out."

Although the nationwide DARE program has its share of doubters,
Sheriff Graves agrees with parents and students that it was
worthwhile. He just doesn't have the money or manpower to offer it anymore.

"That was probably the last nonmandatory program that the sheriff's
department did (in earnest), so we had to cut it," Graves said.
"It's a priority to get (deputies) to calls and to handle the calls
that are out there. That's the mandatory duty of the sheriff."

Some schools are searching for alternatives to replace DARE, and
others have their local police departments conducting DARE, Grave said.

But finding money for county-run DARE when still more deputies are
needed will be difficult.

Supervisor Bob Arnold asked the county board to consider using money
from the undesignated fund balance to pay for a DARE officer to head
back into the schools. The finance committee will review the request.

The county board cut the DARE program during its budget adoption in
the fall. It allowed the sheriff's department to save money by not
having to hire another patrol deputy, Graves said. It did not reduce
the county tax levy.