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The ten week D.A.R.E. program not
only teaches students that drugs are harmful, it teaches them
effective way to say "No" to drugs and violence, and how to
consider consequences when making decisions about risky behavior. It
also teaches them how to develop self esteem and builds positive
relationships between students and the police. Nationally, D.A.R.E. has been
scrutinized for its effect on drug use among young people. Locally,
our D.A.R.E. program continues to receive strong support from parents,
schools, and the community. D.A.R.E. is just a part of an on-going
educational cooperative between schools, parents, and law enforcement
to help students make good decisions about drugs, violence, and other
risky behavior. As long as we continue to work together, D.A.R.E. can
be part of the solution to the problems that face our community.
Our D.A.R.E. program is not funded
through the department budget, other than the time D.A.R.E. Officers
spend teaching the class. Workbooks are donated by the Nebraska
D.A.R.E. Office, and local fundraisers pay for graduation tee shirts
and other supplies.
In addition to the Core D.A.R.E.
program offered at either 5th or 6th grade,
depending on the school’s choice, D.A.R.E. Officers present the K-4
D.A.R.E. program to the younger grades. Officers teach the younger
students about a wide variety of topics, ranging from 911 use, to
stranger danger, pedestrian safety, bike safety, and much more. This
also allows students to begin to have positive interaction with police
officers from an early age.
The D.A.R.E. program is
supported by the community. The contributions and
support of the public make it possible for your police
department to bring the important message of D.A.R.E. to
the youth of our community. For more information,
or if you would like to help, contact
Officer Andrea
Towler.
The
Hastings Police Department often receives reports of
citizens receiving phone solicitations raising money for
D.A.R.E. While our D.A.R.E. program does rely on
public support, and does conduct fund raising,
residential phone solicitation has never been used by the
Hastings Police Department to raise funds for D.A.R.E.
Also, neither the state or national D.A.R.E.
offices use phone solicitation, and they prohibit the use
of phone solicitation by D.A.R.E. agencies.
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