STEINBACH RCMP DRUG EDUCATION TEACHERS NEED BUSINESS SUPPORT

While two Steinbach RCMP officers are very excited about teaching a
drug resistance education program to area students, they face a
significant problem.

However, it isn't an insurmountable problem.

For the DARE program to reach Steinbach's Grade 6 students, constables
Murray Haggerty and Barry Wiese need funding and other forms of
sponsorship and support from the local business community.

Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE, is a series of classroom
lessons taught by police to educate students on how to resist peer
pressure and live productive and drug-free lives.

Cst. Wiese says DARE equips students with the facts they need to make
an informed choice when presented with alcohol, drugs or cigarettes.
"And hopefully, with this knowledge, they'll make the right choice."

All funds the officers receive would pay for instructional materials,
books, visuals and other DARE items; both constables would be teaching
the lessons as volunteers and would do so on their days off from work.
Cst. Haggerty shares that there are plenty of reasons why he and his
fellow DARE teacher strongly believes in the program.

"We deal with drugs or drug-related issues on a daily basis and our
goal is to get the drugs off the streets; what a better way to start
than by reaching the youth of this community?

"This way (by educating students in their formative years) we're being
pro-active, as opposed to reactive," notes the constable.

Cst. Wiese points out that the program has statistically proven it
works, since it is taught in 43 countries and the DARE message has
helped the more than 33 million children reached.

"Look what this program has done, look at that track record--I know
it's a cliche, but if this helps one kid, it is worth it.

Increased drug trafficking

"And yes, drugs are a problem in Steinbach and we need to start
working on it," notes Wiese, to which Haggerty later hints that the
area's growth has seen increased drug trafficking, "Steinbach is no
longer a town, it's a city and with a city you get city problems."

Cst. Haggerty emphasizes that the program shouldn't cost the schools
any money, which is why they have tried to appeal to local businesses.
So far, only Steinbach Towing has committed to sponsoring the program.

"(Steinbach Towing owner Marty Rempel) has supported the program when
it ran in the past, it's something he's always done and would like to
continue," Haggerty says during an interview with Wiese at the
detachment Tuesday morning.

Other than funds, the constables are also hoping for use of a donated
vehicle, which they would dub the official 'DARE vehicle.'

"It would be really nice for the kids to have some sort of
identifiable icon like that, something they can relate to for years to
come," muses Wiese, "and the more awareness the better," adds Haggerty.

The two officers point to a myriad of sample DARE materials in front
of them--including DARE mascot Darren the Lion--and admit they hope
that business community help will come soon.

"We've got the tools right here in front of us, so it's quite
frustrating for us not to be able to put any of it into effect,
because we know it works," emphasizes Cst. Wiese.