RCMP SORRY MEMBER DISSED VPD'S DRUG PROGRAM

An RCMP sergeant has apologized to the Vancouver Police Department for
"inappropriate comments" made by one of its officers about the VPD's
approach to anti-drug education in local schools.

Sgt. Scott Rintoul of the RCMP's drug and organized crime awareness
service said RCMP Const. Richard De Jong's comments in the Jan. 24
Courier don't reflect the position of the RCMP.

"We regret the comments made by Const. De Jong," Rintoul said. "It was
not the RCMP's intention to suggest that our VPD partners are not
committed to drug awareness and prevention."

In the article, De Jong described the VPD's approach to drug awareness
education in the schools as "piecemeal" and "very hit and miss, if
anything." De Jong said students would be better served by the RCMP's
Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program.

Rintoul said De Jong, a member of the RCMP's drug and organized crime
awareness service, will be reprimanded for his comments. He didn't
elaborate on the reprimand's details.

"It's not like he's going to be sent to the front lines," he
said.

Rintoul said he sent an email last week apologizing to Sgt. Kirk Star,
who is in charge of the VPD's school liaison program. Star was quoted
in the article as saying De Jong's comments were unfair.

Star pointed out that 14 school liaison officers work in Vancouver's
18 public high schools. Those officers also serve the feeder
elementary schools.

Two other officers give regular drug awareness talks to elementary
students and the key focal point of all the officers' work is drug
awareness, Star added.

The VPD also runs several programs, including the Police Athletic
League, to build confidence and positive relationships in students.
The average seniority of the school liaison officers is 17 years, the
highest in the department.

Star wasn't available for comment before the Courier's
deadline.

Rintoul said he will meet next week with Star so that each police
department can learn what its counterparts are doing in drug education.

"The RCMP has worked and will continue to work with our policing
partners, in particular the Vancouver Police Department, on the
development, implementation and creation of any measures that
ultimately lead to safer streets in our communities," Rintoul said.
"The RCMP is not in a position to discuss what initiatives or programs
that are not managed or overseen by the RCMP outside our
jurisdiction."

Two weeks ago, the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS released a
report criticizing the DARE program and Canada's drug strategy. The
authors argued several studies consistently show DARE neither deters
nor delays drug use.

Rintoul said one program can't necessarily prevent a student from
getting involved in drugs. Parents, coaches, teachers and others have
to be involved to prevent a student from using drugs, he added.

"The prevention continuum needs to be comprehensive, far more
comprehensive than it is now," he said, adding that parents have "the
number one role" in teaching that. "What we're simply saying is that,
'We believe that DARE helps develop protective factors through
positive asset development.'"

DARE is a 10-lesson program that teaches elementary school students
about the dangers of drug use and making smart decisions. It was
taught to 21,000 students in B.C. last year.