SHERIFF WANTS TO CUT D.A.R.E. TO ALLOW HIRING OF MORE RESOURCE OFFICERS

King County Sheriff Dave Reichert wants to cut the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education program for fifth- and sixth-graders and put more police into
secondary schools.

It's partly a cost-saving move, but Reichert said he considers a presence
with older students more effective.

The county's proposed 1999 budget would eliminate eight D.A.R.E. officers
from 14 school districts in unincorporated areas, for a savings of $469,923
next year.

The five cities that pay the county for D.A.R.E. under their county police
contracts - Kenmore, Maple Valley, Covington, Burien and SeaTac - may
continue to do so.

Reichert wants to supply schools with a yet-undetermined number of "school
resource officers" whose job would be a hybrid of mentoring and community
policing. Schools would pay under contracts, but aid would be available
through federal grants, Reichert said.

The D.A.R.E. program, founded in Los Angeles 15 years ago, hasn't reduced
drug use among teens, Reichert said. He has no data on resource officers'
impact, but reports from several districts that use them are favorable.

"If I had to choose between D.A.R.E. and resource officers, there'd be no
contest," said Northshore spokeswoman Pamela Steele, whose district is
using Bothell and King County resource officers for the fifth year.

Reichert expects complaints from schools where students have close
relationships with D.A.R.E. officers. Meredith Hill Elementary School in
the Federal Way district sent him 200 letters urging that its D.A.R.E.
program continue.

He announced other budget changes yesterday, including: -- A 10-officer
boost in the traffic safety patrols, costing around $600,000. The unit now
has 19 officers.

- -- Creation of a five-officer unit to enforce child-support-payment orders,
$400,000.

- -- Software and five employees to improve analysis of crime patterns,
$900,000.

- -- $1.2 million for security at King County International Airport (Boeing
Field), whose 17 officers were absorbed this month by the Sheriff's Office.

- -- A $1 million spending boost for eight new Metro transit security
officers and three dispatchers.

The sheriff's budget of $73.9 million represents a $5.5 million increase
from this year's $68.4 million figure. Reichert said the increase would be
paid for by contracts, with virtually no effect on the county's general
expense fund.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski