CITY CANCELS DARE, GIVES STATE BACK ITS FUNDING

A Drug Prevention Program For Marietta Elementary School Students Won't Be
Offered This Year.

Some council members are concerned that doing so could jeopardize funding
of the DARE program in the future. Since the program will not be used this
year city officials must turn back $6,304 in state funding.

The announcement was made Thursday at the City Council finance committee.

Marietta parent Paul Howlett said the news was disappointing. Howlett, 51,
of 302 Flintwood Drive, Marietta, had three sons go through the program
when they were in elementary school nearly 10 years ago.

"To me anything you cut back for kids that age is a detriment in the long
term for the community," Howlett said. "It (drug prevention) certainly
starts in the family, but some kids don't have that start."

DARE, or Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is presented to all Washington
County fifth- and sixth-graders. All four local law enforcement agencies
have received state funding in the past from the Ohio Attorney General's
office through a grant program created in 1993 through increased license
reinstatement fees imposed by the state's drunken driving law.

At issue is a personnel change concerning the officer who usually runs DARE.

Assistant Safety Service Director Mike Scales said there wasn't enough time
to train the new DARE officer.

Patrolman Ralph Newell apparently will not be available to run the program,
although no city officials at the committee meeting knew why.

His replacement was not able to be trained in time for the launch of the
spring program, resulting in the likely drop of the drug prevention
program. Councilman Sam Gwinn, chair of the police and fire committee, was
the first council member to speak out against dropping the program.

"It's a great program and we're participating in it and we got the
funding," Gwinn said. "(But) we have no other choice."

Councilman Mike McCauley said he's not sure the program has been that
effective in preventing drug use.

"Without follow-up through other grades, statistics say it does not show it
has an impact, but it's one of those things the public believes in,"
McCauley said.

While council proceeds with legislation to return the funds to the Ohio
Attorney General, Scales is checking with the Marietta Police Department on
the possible risk of future funding. No police representatives were present
at the meeting.