Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teach children how to resist peer pressure and live drug and violence free lives. D.A.R.E. goes beyond traditional drug abuse and violence prevention programs. The program emphasis of D.A.R.E. is to help students recognize and resist the many subtle and overt pressures that cause them to experiment with drugs or become involved in gangs or violent activities. In addition, program strategies are planned to focus on feelings relating to self-esteem, interpersonal and communication skills, decision making, and positive alternatives to drug behavior.

 

Specialized Training

D.A.R.E. Officers are specially trained to instruct the program. The D.A.R.E. curriculum was designed to be taught by police officers whose training and experience gave them the background needed to answer the sophisticated and difficult questions often posed by young students about drugs and crime. Prior to entering the D.A.R.E. Program, officers undergo 80 hours of special training in areas such as child development, classroom management, teaching techniques, and communication skills.

Some of those skills are:

Students:

• Settle arguments with words, not fists or weapons.
• Report crimes or suspicious activities the S.R.O., school authorities or parents.
• Do not use alcohol or drugs and stay away from places and people associated with them.\
• Get involved in your school's S.A.D.D. chapter and volunteer to counsel your peers.

 

Parents:

• Sharpen your parenting skills.
• Teach your children how to reduce their risk of being victims of crime.
• Know where your kids are, what they are doing, and who they are with at all times.
• Help your child to learn nonviolent ways to handle frustration, anger and conflict.
• Become involved in your child's school activities, PTO functions and helping out in your child's class or lunchroom.
• Work with other parents in your neighborhood to start a McGruff House or other block parent programs.
• Model conflict resolution skills in front of your children.

 

School Staff:

• Evaluate your school's safety objectively. Set goals for improvement.
• Develop consistent disciplinary policies, good security procedures, and a response plan for emergencies.
• Educate and train personnel in conflict resolution, problem solving, crisis intervention and cultural sensitivity.
• Work with parents, students, law enforcement, state governments, and community-based groups to develop wider-scope crime prevention efforts such as Drug-Free and Gun-Free School zones.

 

It is a privilege to introduce you to our DARE Officer, Officer Andrea Blanc.  Officer Blanc has been with the Perry Police Department since April 2011. She is currently assigned to the juvenile division as the D.A.R.E./SRO officer. Officer Blanc comes to us from the Stark County Sheriff’s Office where she was employed for six years. While at the Sheriff’s Office she was assigned to the jail division, booking/receiving, and the civil division. Officer Blanc also served on the C.E.R.T. (Corrections Emergency Response Team) and competed at the mock prison riots in Moundsville, W.V. Officer Blanc is responsible for Edison Middle School, Pfeiffer Intermediate School, and six Elementary Schools (including St. Joan of Arc).

Officer Blanc can be contacted at (330) 478 - 6167 ext. 3150 or ablanc@perrypolice.com.