SUMMERSIDE POLICE INTRODUCES DARE TO GRADE 5 AND 6 CLASSROOMS

SUMMERSIDE - Summerside Police Services will introduce the DARE (Drug
Abuse Resistance Education) program to local grade 5 and 6 classes in
Summerside.

The program is designed to teach students the facts about tobacco,
marijuana and alcohol use with the goal of preventing youth from
using these substances.

Summerside Police Services Chief Dave Poirier said, "The DARE program
is being introduced to students to help them prepare for intermediate
and high school. The program will not only educate the students on
substance abuse, but will also open the lines of communication
between the students and police."

Cst. Lorna DeWare attended training for two weeks at the Ontario
Police College and will be facilitating the 10-week (one hour per
week) program. This is the first time it has been offered by city
police. The program also teaches the DARE decision making model. When
faced with a decision, this model will teach the students to define
the problem or issue, assess their choices, respond by using facts or
information they have gathered and then evaluate their choice.

Once their decision is made and outcome is known, they can then ask
themselves whether or not they made the right decision. After
successful completion of the 10-week program, students will
participate in a graduation ceremony.