MOORPARK RETHINKS FUNDING FOR DARE

Drug Program Could Be Cut

When 10-year-old Jacob Tobola-Thayer was approached recently by a
group of teenage boys who asked him if he could find them an apple, he
knew from their demeanor and from what he had learned in the school's
DARE program that their request probably wasn't for a good purpose.

Jacob, a student at Campus Canyon School in Moorpark, said he learned
through his school's police officer-led Drug Abuse Resistance
Education program that people use things like apples as devices to
smoke marijuana. He also learned through DARE to walk away from that
kind of situation, which he and his younger siblings did that day.

Jacob, along with other students from Campus Canyon, graduated Monday
from the DARE program in a ceremony held at Walnut Canyon School.

They were among more than 530 fifth-graders from five Moorpark
elementary schools who graduated from the program that has been in the
city since 1989. Deputy Chris Love, who is the city's DARE officer,
presented the graduates with medals and certificates at the ceremony.

While students and parents have touted the benefits of DARE, Monday's
graduation ceremony could be the city's last if the Moorpark City
Council decides this month not to continue funding the program in the
2008-09 fiscal budget year.

The DARE program, which is funded entirely by the city, costs about
$190,000 annually. City officials have said this year's budget might
be tighter than usual because of the current economic climate, and
programs such as DARE could be cut.

Moorpark Mayor Patrick Hunter said the DARE program currently is being
recommended by city staff for funding in the budget that will be
presented to the City Council tonight. Funding for an additional
resource officer to work with at-risk high-schoolers is also being
recommended in the final budget.

A budget workshop to determine what city programs will be funded will
be held at 6 p.m. June 11.

During budget talks last year, the council met with opposition from
DARE supporters when it considered replacing the DARE program with
other drug prevention programs taught by school staff instead of law
enforcement officials.

The city of Thousand Oaks opted last year to use high school resource
officers in place of the DARE program. Simi Valley still supports a
DARE program.

Critics have said there is no quantifiable proof that DARE
works.

Hunter said he believes DARE is an essential component of the city's
overall safety plan because it brings an officer into the classroom,
working directly with students at a vulnerable age, rather than just
patrolling the streets.

"I have attended most of the DARE graduations in this city, and seeing
the level of enthusiasm coming from the students there, it has
convinced me that it has made a difference in their lives," said Hunter.

Capt. Ron Nelson, chief of the Moorpark Police Department, said the
department is prepared to work with city officials and the school
district with whatever is decided.

"It's a great program and obviously it's an important program to us.
(The Police Department) recognizes though that (city officials) will
be working under significant budget constraints this year," said Nelson.