DARE Done in by Lack of Police Resources

The Chilliwack RCMP has said no more to a drug education program at
local schools.

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program (DARE) operated by the
Mounties has been cancelled because the RCMP says it needs officers on
the street instead of in the classroom.

Last year the program operated at just half its normal levels, but
even that cut-back service taxed the RCMP.

"We're experiencing some capacity issues with some of the crime issues
and files that we're dealing with in town," said RCMP spokesperson
Cpl. Lea-Anne Dunlop. "We have to do the best we can with the
resources that we have."

The DARE program is used across the world. In Chilliwack, it included
a nine-week program for Grade 5 students. It focused on giving
students "a decision making model" to allow them to make healthy
choices throughout their lives.

The program is listed on the City of Chilliwack's website, which
states: "By investing time and energy in today's youth through the
DARE program, we are committed to reducing drugs and violence and
preventing crime for the future."

In addition to the DARE decision making model, lesson topics include
tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, peer pressure, positive alternatives to
drugs and the media's influence.

Dunlop said that the RCMP believes in DARE, but that it's just too
time consuming. In the past, one officer has been devoted solely to
the program along with other Mounties who chip in their time.

"We definitely see the value in the program but at this point we can't
continue on with this," said Dunlop.

"Basically the town has continued to grow and it has put a strain on
our resources to the point where we've had to make the decisions and
unfortunately that was one of them."

Overall manpower levels are determined by how much the municipalities
that contract the RCMP to provide police services pay.

Mayor Sharon Gaetz told the Times that the Mounties are free to adjust
their budget as they wish.

While the city has not begun deliberations on next year's budget, she
said, "I would be surprised if we could increase police budgeting."

With the DARE program abandoned, Dunlop is hoping teachers and parents
pick up the slack.

"The message out there to educators and to parents is to please
continue to deliver the message."School district superintendent
Corinne McCabe said the program will be missed.

"Certainly the loss of the DARE program is a loss to the schools and
the community and it's been a really strong program, but it's a
resource issue for [the RCMP] and we totally understand it," she said.

"It will leave a hole but we have a number of programs that we're
going to look at and we'll be working with our councillors around that."

One of those programs is run by Pacific Community Resources Society
(PCRS), which offers drug counselling and prevention services in
Chilliwack schools. PCRS addiction services manager Lee Ann Hanson
said that while any program is a loss, she feels confident that PCRS
in-school counsellors will be able to pick up the slack.