FAMILY QUESTIONS DARE DECISION

Dear Editor:

Chief Const. Kash Heed's opinion that drug use by youths in West Vancouver
is higher than in any other municipality, followed by his pride in
personally cancelling the DARE program shortly after assuming command is
an interesting contradiction (Drugs Rampant in WV Says Police Chief, North
Shore News, Jan. 16).

Getting rid of a program while new to the job saying "it just was not
working" before launching his own unproven mutli-faceted solution to the
issues sounds like a man in a hurry to make his stamp without
consultation.

Our 12-year-old daughter attending St. Anthony's in West Vancouver was so
impressed with the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program at her
school and so upset when the well-liked liaison officer was let go, that
she and her classmates started a petition and got 70 signatures that was
then sent to the mayor.

One night my wife was having her occasional puff of a cigarette with
friends on our deck. Our daughter's horrified reaction to this meant that
pack of cigarettes went in the garbage, and there as well went my cigar
while walking the dog. She had lost her grandmother to cancer and couldn't
understand our behaviour after seeing the dangers of smoking through DARE.

She told us one night: "Everyone just thinks kids will start using drugs.
We are going to show you they are wrong." We are proud of our daughter and
her being a role model in our family thanks to DARE.

Chief Heed fails to understand that some police officers are parents as
well, and are as concerned about their own kids and drugs, and will
volunteer their time when asked to attend schools to speak to kids. If the
dedicated officer who spent years running the DARE program in West
Vancouver and then lost his job should be reading this, our personal
thanks go to him for a job well done. And a failing grade goes to Chief
Heed.

Barry Miles

North Vancouver