NEW INSTRUCTOR EAGER TO 'D.A.R.E.' STUDENTS TO AVOID DRUGS, ALCOHOL

From watching police shows while a student in high school, Lieutenant
Byron Catchings of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department has known
since then that he wanted to be a cop. Now his influence might be what
changes life for the better for local students.

Catchings just returned from the D.A.R.E. training course in Orange
Beach, Ala. The two-week course prepared him to go to area middle
schools and junior high schools to teach about the dangers of drugs
and alcohol.

"I like working with kids," Catchings said. "I have three of my own,
which makes me want to teach Lincoln County kids about how drugs can
mess up your life. Also it's a chance to be a role model and give them
someone they can depend on."

D.A.R.E., which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is a
nationally recognized program started in Los Angeles in 1983. It has
been so successful that now it is in 75 percent of the nation's school
districts and 43 countries around the world.

Sheriff Steve Rushing said there was a D.A.R.E. program in the
Sheriff's Department long ago, but that when he was appointed, the
program was no longer in place in Lincoln County.

"It wasn't active when I took over, and I've always thought it was a
good program," said Rushing. "This program is a great preventative,
and the schools have said they enjoyed it and are open to having it
back."

The recent training program was the first one available for Catchings
to attend since Rushing took over. The sheriff and Catchings expect to
start D.A.R.E classes soon.

D.A.R.E. sends an officer into a classroom in a series of nine lessons
to teach lessons from the D.A.R.E. book provided by the program. The
children get to keep the book once the course is over.

"I try to teach them another meaning for D.A.R.E.," said Catchings.
"Define, Assess, Respond, and Evaluate. If I could leave them with
just one thing, it would be to be aware of their surroundings and not
put themselves in a bad situation."

Catchings said part of what he likes about the weekly time with the
children is the idea that it gives them exposure to an officer so they
develop a positive image of law enforcement.

"Drugs are a big threat to our kids. They're such easy targets," said
Catchings. "I like the idea that they know they have someone they can
talk to when they can't go to their parents about the pressure they're
facing."

Rushing agreed that building rapport between youth and officers is an
important step in the war on drugs.

"I think the program is geared toward teaching kids the dangers of
drugs, for certain," said Rushing. "But it's also the opportunity to
be around an officer on a weekly basis so they can get to know them
and trust them."

Catchings said it's hard to counter kids' images of drug dealers as
having all the luxuries society encourages today.

"They're seeing these people with the fancy rims, the jewelry, the
fashionable clothes, and it's hard for kids to understand in the end
it's not worth the tradeoff," said Catchings. "Sure, those drug
dealers sparkle, but a badge sparkles too. It's all the sparkle you
need."

As far as opening the lines of communication between area youth and
law enforcement authorities, Rushing says he has the utmost faith in
Catchings as someone they can emulate.

"Byron is an excellent officer with a good rapport with the public, as
well as and especially with kids," said Rushing. "I believe he's going
to do an excellent job with this program."

And Catchings, who at one point dreamed of being a federal agent, said
this is not only his job now, but it's his responsibility.

"The children of Lincoln County are under my care now in a way," he
said. "It's up to me to educate them about the things we face every
day in this war on drugs."