DARE AN ENID ASSET

Just Because School Is Out Does Not Mean DARE Officers Are Idle

The DARE programs at Enid Police Department and Garfield County Sheriff's
Department are most active during the school year.

That's when officers and deputies are in classrooms, teaching the Drug Abuse
Resistance Education program. Last year, EPD officers Lisa Jobes and Roger
Gripe worked with about 1,800 fourth-, fifth- and seventh-graders in Enid.
At the same time, Garfield County deputies Shon Jackson and George Dillman
worked with about 300 students in seven school districts.

Their job is so important today. If they can keep even one child away from
drugs they have succeeded. We feel confident the number of children they get
through to is much higher.

By going to classrooms, they take some of the mystery away from police
officers. To the kids they speak to, police officers no longer are something
to be scared of. The officers become people to these kids, someone they know
they can come to for help.

But, just because their busy time is during the school year doesn't mean the
DARE officers take the summer off.

On the contrary, they continue to make their presence known in our
community. Since summer started, DARE officers have been spending more time
at Oakwood Mall, where the police and sheriff's departments have a joint
office near Rex TV & Appliances. The deputies are there 10 hours a week,
while the EPD officers are there as much as they can be.

Jobes has said she wants to speak to local groups about safety issues.
Recently, she spoke to a driver's education class at Oklahoma Bible Academy.

All in all, we say the DARE programs have been a tremendous asset for Enid
and Garfield County.