DARE TO BE GREAT

Editor, Naples Daily News:

A recent letter writer challenges the effectiveness of the DARE (Drug Abuse
Resistance Education) program. The "effectiveness" issue of the program is
nothing new; this has been a topic of discussion and debate throughout the
country since the program's inception in Los Angeles in 1983.

DARE has been a strong component of the Collier County Sheriff's Office
Youth Relations Program since 1992. The measure of the effectiveness of
DARE cannot be looked upon as an exact science, but one of indicators. When
we examine the objective of DARE for Collier County, such as teaching life
skills, shaping positive attitudes and opening lines of communication,
indicators affirm that our DARE program has been, and continues to be, very
successful.

On many occasions, deputies receive letters of thanks and praise for their
efforts in the classroom. Often this is the student's first prolonged
positive interaction with law enforcement. These positive interactions
allow for trust and communication to occur.

Interaction with that DARE deputy has given "law enforcement" a human face.
Deputies are no longer just a community response vehicle to crime; they are
now considered approachable by students. The importance of that fact should
never be underestimated when evaluating the effectiveness of the DARE program.

I encourage you to attend one of the many DARE graduations that take place
during the school year. These inspirational ceremonies are a true testament
of the success of DARE in Collier County.

- -- Don Hunter

Sheriff, Collier County