HEATHER CHAMBERS: ORANGE DARE OFFICER

ORANGE - Town children soon will be introduced to a new DARE (Drug Abuse
Resistance Education) officer.

Officer Heather Chambers, 26, has been appointed to the position, becoming
a member of the Investigative Services Unit (ISU). Police Chief Joseph
Dooley said Chambers gave up a promotion to sergeant to take the DARE job,
a lateral move for her.

"She decided she had too much to offer and too much to do before she became
a sergeant," Dooley said. "I think it was a bold decision on her part. She
chose to do something special for the department and community at this
time. I know her day [for promotion] will come."

"I took the [sergeant's] test and scored very well," Chambers said.
"There's such a wealth of experience in this position, so when I get
promoted I'll be able to bring more with me and I'll be a better sergeant
for having done that. I think it was the right decision."

The Observer introduced Chambers to readers almost five years ago when she
was still in the police academy. She has a B.S. degree from the University
of New Haven. Forensic science was her passion until she joined the OPD.

"Policing became my first love," she said, "but now [with this position] I
can meld the two, which is awesome. I look forward to doing this job. I'm
definitely blessed."

Because of her youth, Chambers said she could relate to the young people
she'll be dealing with.

"I was an explorer in high school, and I helped Officer Sharon Labreque
with the DARE program, which was still in its infant stages back then,"
Chambers said. "I can still remember what it was like to be in grammar
school and high school. Kids can see through adults and whether they are
sincere or not.

"Children know when you believe in something, and if you make an
impression, kids will take it with them," she said. "I love children. They
have so much potential. To be a role model for them is not an assignment,
it's a privilege. I don't know when I decided to be the DARE officer, but
it's a definite fit. I'm lucky."

Chambers said she believes in the program and welcomes others in the OPD to
join her in the children's education, citing it as a "positive" for
everyone involved. "Just like I did back in the day," Lt. Anthony Cuozzo
said, "Heather will be churning out new programs before you know it."

Cuozzo said Chambers is responsible for the tip line, crime prevention
programs for young and old, obtaining grants, assisting the ISU in criminal
investigations and being the police representative to the Orange Drug and
Alcohol Action Committee.

During the school season, Chambers will be working on tours and assorted
meetings about three nights a week.

The DARE Program

Orange adopted the DARE program in 1996, with classes geared toward
elementary school children. Officer [now Lieutenant] Anthony Cuozzo was
appointed the first DARE officer.

Like Chambers, he was young - 21 - enthusiastic, and understood that
children of all ages had to be treated honestly, or his credibility would
be "out the window."

"If you try to pull the wool over their eyes," Chambers said, "they'll
resent it and you'll have problems with them down the road."

Cuozzo added, "Since, its introduction, DARE has been the cornerstone of
our community policing efforts."

The town offers a four-week personal safety program for kindergartners. The
old elementary school program ran 17 weeks, covering decision-making, drug
issues and consequences. The revamped DARE program, with which Chambers
will begin her training in January, is 10 weeks long, with a whole new
approach to dealing with today's issues.

Cuozzo said that today's Orange sixth-graders are faced with pressures to
drink and smoke. The new program focuses on real issues and helps kids make
good decisions.

"The new program comes out of the University of Akron, Cuozzo said, "a
forerunner in school curriculum development, and Officer Chambers will be
the first DARE officer in the state to have it 'right out of the gate.'

"I've been through training already," he said. "It's a huge difference. It
really empowers the young people, and comes down to decision-making."

The Right Stuff

Dooley said the key to a successful DARE program is choosing the right
person to teach the lessons.

"I think the DARE program is great," he said. "It compliments what the
schools are doing independently. We normally do [DARE] in autumn, but we
had to rebuild the program and we'll soon be ready to bring it back into
the schools."

Cuozzo said positive police interaction with the public is an important
part of their job.

"Once you get to know an officer on a one-to-one basis, you have a friend
for life," he said, adding that DARE officers are trusted members of the
department. Cuozzo still hears from children he taught when he was in the
position. Members of his first DARE class are now juniors in college.

He made it clear to his students that if they had a problem, they could
come to him day or night. He recalled a night when the police department
called him at home because a teenager was knocking on the window, looking
for him.

"I came down and we sat and talked about what was bothering him," Cuozzo
said. "That's what I'm here for."

"[People] see that we are human beings and that we're accessible," Dooley
said. "We work together. If there's a problem, they know they can call us.
Chambers said, "Residents work with us. They have a say in their own safety
and what they want from us. Accessibility breaks down the wall between
residents and the police."

Community Support

The OPD once enjoyed state grant money with which it ran the DARE program.
But state grants seem to have dried up, and DARE might have been in
jeopardy if not for community donations.

The OPD has a DARE donation account that now pays for materials necessary
to run the program.

"People's generosity [donations] has helped keep the DARE program up and
running," Dooley said.

Overall, Cuozzo sees a bright future for both Chambers and DARE.

"There's no doubt in my mind that Officer Chambers will take the program to
new levels," Cuozzo said. "The new program is so powerful and directed.
It's really topnotch."