REID BACK WITH DARE, THIS TIME IN AMITY

AMITY - Carol Reid, retired? No way!

She simply couldn't imagine herself really retiring, even after leaving the
McMinnville Police Department in August following a 26-year career.

When the city's budget ax fell, Reid's DARE officer position was
eliminated, along with the rest of the program.

As it turned out, retirement lasted about a month, or until St. James
Catholic School opened its doors in September. Reid joined the staff this
fall as a kindergarten teaching assistant.

Not wanting to completely detach herself from law enforcement, she also
became a reserve officer with the Amity Police Department. It is now led by
Dan Brown, who had an equally long career with the McMinnville police
before also falling victim to a budget crisis.

Her presence soon led to restoration of a Drug Resistance Abuse Education
program in the Amity School District.

Reid taught DARE in the McMinnville School District for 14 years, reaching
more than 6,000 students. In 1996, she won both state and national honors
as DARE Officer of the Year.

"I knew I was going to retire, which I did," she said. "But I also knew I
was not going to stop working, and I was not going to stop serving
communities. I thought something would open up, and some doors did."

Reid is now teaching DARE twice a week at Amity Elementary School, and she
is as thrilled with that assignment as she is with her assignment helping
nurture 20 St. James kindergartners. She has so much DARE expertise that it
would have been a waste had she not continued as an instructor somewhere.

"I have had adults tell me I was their DARE instructor and the program
helped them," Reid said. "It had an impact on them. They still remember the
lessons they were taught. That's awesome."

Some of those people still have their DARE T-shirts. Reid feels that shows
what kind of an effect the program had. She said that's a cool feeling.

Kay Johnson has been the principal of Amity Elementary for eight years.
DARE instruction was offered to K-5 students by the Yamhill County
Sheriff's Office for the first six years.

Johnson said the sheriff's office provided some outstanding instructors,
the last to hold the assignment being deputy Roy Harrell. But budget cuts
eliminated the program last year, and it wasn't going to be restored this
year until Reid came along.

"Carol has unmatched experience as a DARE instructor," Brown noted. "She is
also an experienced police officer. Carol was a good catch as a reserve
officer, even without her DARE experience. This adds to our ability to
provide a service to the community."

When Brown took the chief's position earlier this year, replacing Rudy van
Soolen upon his retirement, community members expressed a strong desire to
have the DARE program reinstated. People thought the program had a positive
impact on kids.

"It gives them the tools to say no," Johnson said. "I believe it makes a
difference. Where time will tell is when kids get older, but at this age
level, we want to make kids aware and give them more choices of things to
do rather than rely on drugs and alcohol."

Reid teaches DARE classes Tuesdays and Thursdays. K-4 students are already
getting instruction, and the program will be extended to fifth-graders in
January. Johnson said Reid has been a wonderful addition. The principal
said she is enthusiastic and puts her top priority on the welfare of children.

"Students have taken to the program like ducks to water," said Reid, who
believes the McMinnville School District will feel the impact of not having
DARE this year. "These students want to learn. They are good kids."

She became a McMinnville reserve officer in 1977. A short time later, she
was hired full-time as a parking enforcement officer. She went on to serve
several years as a records supervisor.

She became the department's first DARE officer in 1989. She was named City
Employee of the Year that same year for her work in crime prevention
programs. She later received the McMinnville Police Department's
Meritorious Service Medal for her leadership in DARE.

Reid has offered DARE instruction to homeschooled and private school
students as well. She has even taught at Rainbow Lodge, a court-ordered
residential treatment center for delinquent boys, that is located west of
McMinnville.

Reid is a charter member and past president of the Oregon DARE Officers
Association, a charter member of the National GREAT Officers Association
and a co-founder of the BASE Camp for Yamhill County teenagers, whose motto
is "Believe, Achieve, Succeed Everyday.