WHITWORTH WILLING TO PLAY CHICKEN FOR DARE

RCMP Const. Stephen Whitworth gets a charge out of his new job as the
full-time instructor of a drug awareness program in local schools.

"I've taught DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) for a year now and
I love it," Whitworth said. "I enjoy regular police work but sometimes
when you're doing the day-to-day work, there's so much negativity.
This is positive - and it energizes myself and the students."

Whitworth, a resident of High River and a member of the Okotoks
detachment for the last five years, will see that all Grade 5 and 6
students within the Foothills School Division and at
Strathcona-Tweedsmuir school take the program.

DARE teaches students about self-esteem, treating others with respect
and making wise choices in regards to drug and alcohol.

Whitworth was introduced as the DARE instructor during ceremonies at
Percy Pegler school at Okotoks on Sept. 23. "I joined the RCMP because
I wanted to make a difference," Whitworth said. "And I think I can
make a difference."

He said a 17-year-old youth he recently arrested could have possibly
been helped by DARE when he was younger.

"I was the arresting officer for a youth who stole the cars from a
dealership (in High River)," Whitworth said. "He's is very likeable
kid, he has good parents, he made some bad choices in his life... It's
like they always say: It's easier to stay out of trouble than to get
out of trouble."

Working with children is nothing new - Whitworth is a Beaver leader
with the High River First Scouts group. He also has a wife and three
children.

He doesn't mind being a bird of a feather when talking to his young
students. DARE Works! chair Jackie Chalmers didn't balk at telling
what a wonderful chicken-walk Whitworth performs for his students.
"One of the lessons we have is what to do when people call you chicken
to get you to do stuff," Whitworth said. "I do this chicken walk. I
guess from listening to Jackie, I'm a master at it."

Had someone suggested to Whitworth while he was in high school in
North Vancouver that he'd be instructing in front of a classroom, he
would have called that person a bird-brain.

"That was the last place I thought I would be - I was a terrible high
school student," Whitworth said with a smile. "I never thought I'd be
a policeman either. Now, I'm doing police work and I'm in front of a
class - I love it."