DARE OFFICER JOINS BOB JONES ANTI-DRUG EFFORT

The newest "teacher" at Bob Jones High School may dress in blue and wield a
weapon, but he isn't there for any arresting experiences.

Officer Wayne Kamus is the new DARE officer at Bob Jones.

Kamus, who has taught drug prevention for two years at the elementary and
middle school level, joins Officer Steve Wilkerson, the high school's
resource officer, as a weekly teacher during health class for sophomores.

Juli Gerrits, director of Madison DON'T (Drugs Offer No Tomorrow), said
salaries and benefits for Kamus and new resource officers at Liberty and
Discovery middle schools were covered by a $357,000, three-year grant from
Community-Oriented Policing Services, or COPS, a federal program under the
U.S. Department of Justice.

"Research indicates that by developing a positive relationship between
youth and law enforcement officers, youth gain a better understanding of
and respect for law that can result in decreased juvenile crime," Gerrits said.

Kamus spent his first day with students on a casual introduction to himself
and his goals for the DARE program, which is handled differently at the
high school level than with elementary-age children.

"Primarily, they will also learn the social impact that drug abuse has on
our society," he said. "They're more involved in the discussions because
they're older. They can also give feedback on what they see in society, how
drugs are impacting them, impacting their school."

By the time students reach high school, they are often already exposed to
drugs, he said.

"That's when reality pretty much hits them. We tell them, 'We're giving you
the information so you can make better decisions.' They have more
responsibility (than younger students). They get to hang out later at
night. There are not adults telling them what to do and what not to do,"
Kamus said.

Wilkerson will assist Kamus with the DARE program and continue providing
police presence at the school, Kamus said.

Gerrits said the COPS grant also increases services to students at
Madison's two middle schools and at St. John's Catholic School.

DARE programs for fifth- and seventh-graders will continue in city schools
and at St. John's, Gerrits said, but the seventh-grade program will now be
presented by each school's full-time resource officer, instead of a
visiting DARE officer.

Kamus was pleased with students' initial response to him during his first
class. "The kids were very open. The big thing I find with teenagers, (we)
let them know we're not there as a spy," he said. "We're not trying to
create a list. We want to know what they know, and we want to share
information."

Kamus hopes to bond with students at the high school. "We really are
working at trying to build a rapport with students. Teenagers, unlike
fifth- and seventh-graders, get a little bit more standoffish with police
officers," he said. "We're working hard to let them know we're no different
than they are. We're here to help."

Dr. Dee Fowler, assistant superintendent of Madison City Schools, hopes the
information will be well received as it is presented "in a non-threatening
environment."

"Historically, the first time that a kid might meet a police officer might
be on the side of the road when the officer might be saying, 'Roll down
your window and let me see your license and registration,' " Fowler said.
"We want children to grow up learning the different side of police work.
These guys are there as staff members to help children."