DEPUTY GRADUATES D.A.R.E. TRAINING

Schools Resource Officer (SOR) Joe Duncan has successfully completed
the D.A.R.E. training program that was held at Natchez Trace Park at
the Pin Oaks Lodge. According to Duncan, the two-week program was one
of the most difficult and intense training programs he has ever taken.
Although there was no physical training, Duncan states that he had a
lot of homework that sometimes kept him up until midnight. He would
then have to be back in class the following morning at 8 a.m.

The D.A.R.E. curriculum (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), is designed
to be taught by police officers whose training and experience give
them the background needed to answer the tough questions often asked
by young students about drugs and crime.

D.A.R.E. teaches children from in grades K-8 that popularity can be
found in positive behavior, that belonging need not require them to
abandon their values, that self-confidence and self-worth come from
asserting themselves and resisting destructive temptations. The
program teaches them not just that they should refuse drugs and
alcohol, and not participate in violent activities, but how to do so.
It goes beyond the traditional drug abuse and violence prevention
programs and gives children the skills needed to recognize and resist
the subtle and overt pressures that cause them to experiment with
drugs or become involved in gangs or violent activities.

D.A.R.E is universally viewed as an internationally recognized model
of community policing. The United States Department of Justice had
identified how D.A.R.E. benefits local communities. It "humanizes" the
police so that young people can begin to relate to officers as people.
It permits students to see officers in a helping role, not just an
enforcement role, and opens lines of communication between law
enforcement and youth. The program also opens the dialogue between the
school, police, and parents to deal with other issues as well as drugs.

As part of his training, Duncan traveled to schools in Huntingdon to
teach. Now that he is certified, Duncan will be teaching D.A.R.E at
Holladay and Big Sandy schools. Students in grades 5 through 7 will
take a nine-week course while grades K through 4 will be done by
periodic visits to the classroom.

Duncan has been with the Benton County Sheriff's Office for four years
and he loves his involvement with the students in his role as SOR. He
is looking forward to educating the students at both schools about the
dangers of drugs and the consequences of crime.