RE: 'BATTLE OF THE BADGES' HOCKEY TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER FOR DARE.

Last week I received a phone call from a person who for the first few
minutes of the conversation gave me the impression I was speaking to an
RCMP officer. I was being requested to support the DARE [Drug Abuse
Resistance Education] program by making a cash donation or buying tickets
to the tournament.

I had to make repeated requests of "who are you?" to glean the information
that I was being 'pitched' by a high pressure telemarketer. I was even a
little more difficult to get the name of the direct marketing company that
is using our community police departments (in my opinion) as a vehicle to
make money for themselves.

I personally can be quite supportive of fundraising for local police
activities that work to improve our communities, especially in terms of
education. We, as a community, are under great pressure to maintain our
services in the present political climate. For my part, I wish that our
leaders and police departments would be a little more creative and up with
the realities of our society and not flog the dead horse of the DARE
program. We cannot afford to waste money or time on strategies that are
not productive. Honest and clear education about drug awareness should not
use fear tactics or disseminate misleading information, as I believe the
DARE program does. And there is a good case that education of our children
is best left in the hands of our professional educators, not coalitions of
private corporations and the police. The police most certainly have a role
in this process but, in my view, private profit-driven interests will best
serve the community by staying with making profits.

Notes: The September 2002 report of the Senate Special Committee on
Illegal Drugs recommended:

Prevention strategies in schools should not be led by police services or
delivered by police officers.

The RCMP should reconsider its choice of the DARE program that many
evaluations studies have shown to be ineffective. * Xentel DM is a Calgary
direct marketing firm that is running the hockey tournament as a
fundraiser. A portion of the proceeds go to the Nelson City Police and
Nelson RCMP detachment for DARE programs in local schools.

What percentage of the funds raised go to the police departments? What
percentage of the funds are direct costs of the campaign? What percentage
of the funds are retained by Xental DM?

Jim Holland

Kaslo