SHERIFF'S OFFICE MIGHT KEEP DRUG AWARENESS PROGRAM

Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner said he might not drop the D.A.R.E.
program if state budget cuts don't end the training program at the S.C.
Police Academy. Tanner said last fall he was looking at axing the program
and replacing it with something else because he wasn't seeing results.
Though he might not drop the program, Tanner said it won't be the same
program it's been in the past.

The Drug Awareness and Resistance Education program targets fifth-graders
and educates them about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Police
departments across the state can get officers trained at the academy to
become D.A.R.E. officers. However, it might be pulled from the academy
because of the budget cuts. If that happens, Tanner said, he'll stop using
the program.

Tanner thinks the D.A.R.E. program has too narrow a focus to be effective
anyway. That's something he wants to change.

"We also want something to help with deterrence of gangs and school
violence," Tanner said. "We want to follow these kids after they graduate
the program as they go on to middle school and high school and after they
graduate."

The county has used the program since 1990. However, there are no
statistics to track how well the program has performed.

"That's a hard thing to do," Tanner said. "I know it isn't easy."

Another problem Tanner has with the D.A.R.E. program is its length.
D.A.R.E. runs about 17 weeks.

"That's one of the things we'll definitely have to change," Tanner said.
"We feel we can probably touch more students with a shorter program."

Tanner wants a program he can offer several times a year, rather than only
once or twice. He said D.A.R.E. officers have been considering ways to make
the program better and meet the needs of Beaufort County students.

"I think it's looking good," Tanner said. "I think the people of this
county will be pleased with the program."

Beaufort Police Department Chief Jeff Dowling said his department is
sticking with D.A.R.E. Dowling uses the program along with some other youth
programs in local schools.

"Right now, we've had a lot of success with it," Dowling said. "I think
we're going to continue with it."

Dowling said while cuts in funding from the state might affect how the
police department administers the program, the department would consider
what to do when that happens.

"We'll just have to see how everything goes," Dowling said.