YODER, Kan. — 20 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. The DOT is an intensive two week course designed using current educational philosophies and principles that enhance the transfer of decision-making and critical thinking skills.
DOT graduates received a working knowledge of the elementary, middle school and high school D.A.R.E. curricula. They also received an overview of the enhancement lessons including, Opioid, OTC/RX drugs, MS and HS Vaping and HS More Than Sad - Mental Health lesson.
“I’m proud of the men and women who accepted the call to become D.A.R.E. officers,” said KLETC Executive Director Darin Beck. “The importance of D.A.R.E. and how it opens up a dialogue between the school, the police, and parents can not be understated.”
The graduates came from agencies in Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Oklahoma.
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.