TROUTDALE'S OFFICER MIKE MAKES ROUNDS IN SCHOOL FOR D.A.R.E.

TROUTDALE -- It's rare for Troutdale Police Officer Mike Kellogg and
his family to go out without hearing shouts of, "Officer Mike! Officer
Mike!" as they walk down the street or through a store.

"My wife teases me by asking, 'How many kids are we going to see who
know you today?' " says Kellogg, a police officer since 1993 and a
member of the Troutdale force since 2000.

Kellogg is well-known among Troutdale youngsters as the city's
D.A.R.E. officer. He teaches the D.A.R.E. antidrug, alcohol and
tobacco program at Troutdale and Sweetbriar elementary schools, while
working full time as an officer at Walt Morey Middle School, all in
the Reynolds School District.

Last year, Kellogg volunteered to teach D.A.R.E. at Powell Valley
Elementary School in the Gresham-Barlow district during his days off.

"The kids just loved him, and we were so impressed by him," says Craig
Zeisler, a fifth-grade teacher at Powell Valley. "A lot of the kids
and their families wrote letters about what a great job he did. You
could just tell when he came into the classroom that he has an
enthusiasm for the kids."

Kellogg received the 2003 Oregon D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year award
and now is in the running for the national award. If he's selected,
Kellogg will receive the honor during a national D.A.R.E. conference
in July in Nashville, Tenn.

Mike Olds, a Washington County deputy sheriff and president of the
Oregon D.A.R.E. Officers Association, calls Kellogg reliable and
proactive, as a D.A.R.E. officer and as a member of the association's
board.

"He's a fun person to work with and he brings good information to
share with us," Olds said. "He's great in talking with kids, and he
doesn't talk above their heads. He also realizes that D.A.R.E. doesn't
stop with the school day."

Why did you get involved in the D.A.R.E. program?

I've always been a kid lover, and I have a good time with them. I
still have that feeling that you can change a kid.

Why is the D.A.R.E. program important for children?

Parents are lacking in teaching kids the consequences of doing drugs,
drinking and smoking tobacco. It's a hard subject to talk about.
D.A.R.E. is not a cure-all, but it's a basic start.

I share my personal experiences and the lessons I've learned, and I
tell the kids, 'I'm not going to be there when your time comes.' It
will happen, and it's up to them to make the choice.

How have you seen the program impact kids?

I've actually watched students do a 180-degree turn and that's a great
feeling. I've had parents say, 'My kid comes home and talks about you
constantly.' For some kids, it will get through. Hopefully the
relationships I'm building with kids will continue through high school
because they're going to have some tough times in a bigger school.
Hopefully they will be able to say 'no.'

Do you teach the D.A.R.E. program to your own children?

My wife, Tracie, and I have three boys -- Nicholas, who is 12, and
Kristopher and Austin, who are 10. My oldest son was in my D.A.R.E.
class last year at Powell Valley. I wanted to volunteer there because
I went there and my sons go there.

Is the D.A.R.E. program in danger of being eliminated?

Some people say the D.A.R.E. program is going away, but those of us
who are still involved take it very seriously. The program started in
1983 and is now being revamped. It used to be a 17-week program, and
now it's 10 weeks. Technically, it's still a strong program, but the
departments and agencies that pay for it are facing financial
restrictions and cutting the program.

I don't think the program will go away in Troutdale because our chief
(David Nelson) is such a big believer in kids' activities. I'm sure
they could use my abilities out on the road, but he wants me here with
the kids and I like being here.

We also get a lot of community support, and if our funding was cut I
think the parents and local businesses would step up to fill in the
gap.

How does it feel to be nominated for the national D.A.R.E. Officer of
the Year award?

That would really be something. It's nice to be appreciated,
especially in a job where there aren't a lot of thank yous.

The calls and letters from parents also mean a lot. A mom called me a
while back and said, 'I want to thank you.' Some older kids had
offered her son drugs and he said, 'No way!' and ran away. That's
perfect. That's exactly what we want. That's a success story.