CONCORD COUNCIL WANTS TO KEEP DARE ALIVE

CONCORD - A drug education and safety program for fifth-graders may be
saved from the budget chopping block.

Concord administrators last week proposed eliminating the Drug Awareness
Resistance Education program in local elementary schools to save money in a
tough budget year.

City Council members, however, said during a budget workshop Tuesday they
want to keep the program even it's run with one instead of two police officers.

The program, based on standard DARE materials used nationally, sends local
police officers into classrooms to give tips on preventing drug abuse,
violence, accidents and injuries. Several other East Bay cities have cut
DARE programs in recent years because of concerns about its cost and
effectiveness.

Concord Councilman Mark Peterson argued to keep the program.

"I think we can continue with an abbreviated DARE," he said.

He said his daughter, a fifth-grader, has shared DARE safety tips with the
family.

Other City Council members said the program offers valuable safety lessons
and a positive police role model for youngsters.

Many Concord teachers and principals are disappointed the program might
end, school officials say.

"I understand the city has budget restraints, but this program has a very
positive effect on the community," said Jennifer Stahlman, principal of El
Monte Elementary School.

Students learn safety techniques like how to refuse rides from strangers,
and they also develop a positive attitude toward police, she said.

Dave Nye, the city's longtime DARE police officer, told the City Council it
would be a mistake to shut the program down. Students learn valuable
lessons about how to avoid assaults, fights, kidnappings, drugs, and
pedestrian or bicycle injuries, he said.

Nye retired late last year and returned as a part-time employee this year
to complete the DARE instruction.

The other Concord DARE officer already has been assigned to other duties,
Nye said.

Police Chief Ron Ace has said he suggested eliminating the program to save
money and because several studies have questioned its effectiveness.
Several local cities have dropped the program.

San Ramon and Danville replaced DARE in the past two years with other
programs officials say are more flexible and deal with a broader range of
issues. Hercules ended DARE a few years before that.

Walnut Creek is phasing out its DARE program after June and replacing it
with a more flexible program, officials say.

Concord has other police budget issues to deal with this year.

Police officers are unhappy the city is proposing to phase out a total of
five jobs. Two jobs are clerks and three are sworn officers not on street
patrol, the DARE officer, a lieutenant and a sergeant.

The Concord Police Officers Association contends the city has too few
patrol officers to deal with gang activity and incidents involving officer
shootings.

The three sworn officer jobs to be cut ought to be replaced with patrol
officers, the association said in a March 4 letter.

In a related item Tuesday, City Council members said they oppose a proposal
to consider a winter closure of the Concord Community Park pool or
permanent closure of a pool at Meadow Homes Park.