DARE OFFICERS CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS

This week I want to share an experience I was lucky enough to be
invited to last week - the graduation ceremony for Drug Awareness
Resistance Education (DARE) officers.

When I received the invitation via telephone the person said it would
be a very moving event to attend. She was right.

When one thinks of police officers the idea of being involved in what
society might deem the worst common denominators or situations which
aren't particularly happy or helpful to others come to mind.

Maybe this is why so many of the officers - including military
police and municipal police - found the ceremony so important and
memorable. It wrapped up two weeks of training at the SIGN on Broadway
building - which now has a contract with RCMP to do some of their
training.

When I looked around the room, the officers I saw were in most cases
younger than myself. I also spoke with two American police officers
- - Bobby Robinson from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office in
Louisiana and George Stephen, a DARE officer from the Montgomery
County Sheriff's Department.

Stephen, who has two children of his own, said parents are trusting
their children's safety to the DARE officers. He said after meeting
all of the candidates he would trust any of them with his own children.

It came as a surprise to me the DARE organization extends right across
North America and exists within all 50 states.

With the DARE program well entrenched in Yorkton's educational system
it is having its positive effects. Our children look up to these
officers and view them in a different way than we likely did as youth.
They know them by first name and realize they truly care about their
welfare.

A representative of the Christ the Teacher School Division, Tammy
Plews, spoke at the function. She related the story of her own two
children coming home from school excited about the DARE presentation
they received. She says at the supper table that night the two youth
shared with their parents the fact cigarettes have hundreds of poisons
in them and people shouldn't smoke .

This is just the beginning of what our kids have to be prepared for in
this day and age. With many new drugs coming on the scene each year
there is no question awareness is key. We as a society are fortunate
to have individuals and programs like DARE.

I venture to say if it weren't in place our youth might find
themselves living their lives in a world they don't like a whole lot.