05/27/2008 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARK) 2007 marked the tenth year of the Lino lakes Po- lice Department DARE program DARE'is a highly acclaimed program that gives kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence. DARE was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles'and has proven so successful that it is now being implemented in 75 per- cent of our nation's Schoof districts and in more than 4 countries around the world. DARE is a police officer -led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how'to rosist peer pressure fund lit c productive drug and violence -free lives. DARE tits into the Lino lakes Police Departments mission of strengthening our Community Oriented Policing philosophy and the >`1ni a. States Department of .lustice ha identified how 1) 1- \Rcrim benefits local communities: * DARE "humanizes" the police: that is, young people can begin to relate to officers as people * DARE;permits students to see officers in a helping role, not just an enforcement role * DA E opens lines of communication between law enforcement and youth * DARE lfficers can serve as conduits to provide information beyond drug - related topics * DARE- opens dialogue between the school, police, and parents to deal with other issues Lake Elementary, Lino Lakes Elementary, and Blue Ileron l°ae- Hundred5 of students from Rice mentary met with Officer Tanya Taninl on a weekly basis and learned Lan to say no to drugs and yes to a healthy life style. The program culminates in a graduation with an essay contest, cake music and balloons. The eraduation serves to reinforce the idea that the community of ,.I ino Lakes supports drug and violence free lives. ' Darn the Lion at Graduation Chief P::cchia at DARE graduation • Studcr�l� ai Rice I,ak,2 . Darc Graduation -