HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Eighteen new D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officers graduated Friday from the D.A.R.E. Officer Training (DOT) at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC). The program is an intensive two-week course designed using current educational philosophies and principles that enhance the transfer of decision-making and critical thinking skills.
Program graduates received a working knowledge of the elementary, middle school and high school D.A.R.E. curricula. They also received an overview of topics including opioids, over-the-counter and prescription drugs, vaping in middle and high school, and teen mental health lessons created by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles, California. It’s an education program that teaches students about the impact of drugs and violent behavior.
Jeff Smith, the Head Training Facilitator for the D.A.R.E. training team, has been with D.A.R.E. for 30 years. He facilitates six to 10 training programs a year and enjoyed being able to work with young police officers.
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