D.A.R.E.

The Papillion Police Department, in conjunction with the Papillion-LaVista School District, offers the D.A.R.E. program to all elementary schools in the city. D.A.R.E., which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is a 10-week prevention program taught to students in the 6th grade. The goal of the D.A.R.E. program is to prevent or reduce drug abuse and violence among children and youth.

History

D.A.R.E. was developed in 1983 through a cooperative effort between the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District. The program quickly spread as it was recognized as an effective prevention program. D.A.R.E. is currently being taught in all 50 states, reaching 75% of the nation's school districts, and 44 countries around the world. There are approximately 40,000 trained D.A.R.E. officers, who have reached nearly 35 million youth around the world to date.

The Papillion Police Department began teaching the D.A.R.E. Program in 1990. D.A.R.E. Is taught in all elementary schools, both public and private, within the city. This school year D.A.R.E. will be taught to more than 400 6th grade students.

Curriculum

D.A.R.E. consists of 9 lessons and a culmination ceremony for those who successfully complete the program. The D.A.R.E. lessons focus on:
  • Alcohol and other drugs
  • Teaching students decision-making skills
  • Showing students how to resist peer pressure
  • Giving students ideas for alternatives to drug use and violence
D.A.R.E. utilizes specially trained, certified police officers to deliver the curriculum within the schools. To become a D.A.R.E. instructor a police officer has to successfully complete an 80 hour training course. An additional benefit of the D.A.R.E. Program is the exposure of our youth to certified police officers, allowing them to develop a relationship with a police officer in a positive environment. Students learn the police officers are normal individuals who have a sincere interest in their well being. It is our hope here in Papillion that the D.A.R.E. Program will continue to offer our youth the skills, training, and confidence they need to resist peer pressure and say "No!" to offers to use drugs.