Drug Abuse Resistance Education is a prevention education program designed to equip elementary, middle and high school children with accurate information and the basic skills necessary to help them make healthy choices regarding the use of drugs, violence, and other dangerous situations. It increases their perceived risks of such behaviors, which reduces their involvement. It also provides education for adults in the community through its Parent and Community programs to assist them in understanding and combating the issues that reinforce the scourge of drugs, gangs, and violence, and reinforces the protective factors necessary to help children make positive choices. Based on the premise that prevention is the only long-term answer to drug abuse and violent behaviors, D.A.R.E. has continued to help communities for over 25 years combat the forces that reduce the quality of life in their neighborhoods. D.A.R.E. programs are provided in over 75% of the nation's school districts, including all 50 states, creating a positive atmosphere for students to interact with law enforcement. With its global out-reach, D.A.R.E. is provided in 43 foreign countries and all Department of Defense Dependant Schools overseas.
This unique program uses specially trained uniformed law enforcement officers to deliver a formal curriculum to students in a classroom setting and reinforce program concepts and ideals in an informal setting outside the classroom. Community Oriented Policing has become a mainstay in law enforcement with the realization that reducing crime and improving quality of life must be an effort on the part of the entire community. There is no better example of the community policing effort than D.A.R.E. Officers serving as positive role models changing perceptions and attitudes, embracing community resources, dispelling misinformation and helping kids make healthy choices. These are all positive aspects of this pro-active approach to law enforcement.
D.A.R.E is much more than a "just say no to drugs" program. It is a life-skills approach to positive decision making incorporating knowledge of facts, consequences, recognizing influences, and relationships. Students learn and demonstrate effective skills to stay out and/or get out of risky situations and build positive relationships with law enforcement.
The Maryland D.A.R.E. Training Center graduated its 32nd D.A.R.E. Officer Training class on October 6, 2017 at the Maryland Public Safety Education and Training Center in Sykesville, MD. The thirty-one participants included 17 Maryland officers and 14 from out-of-state; including DARE America Staff, Ontario and Newfoundland (Canada), California, Florida, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
Multiple studies have identified D.A.R.E.’s use of law enforcement officers to deliver its science and evidence-based curricula as a critical distinction that sets it above other education programs. D.A.R.E. officers undergo a rigorous 80-hour training course conducted by mentors with many years of experience in the classroom, as well as university-level educators. All officers are taught to deliver the curricula exactly as they are written, thereby achieving the goal of nearly 100% implementation fidelity.
The 80 hour plus training certifies instructors in several DARE curriculum s, including: elementary and middle school “keepin’ it REAL”, three levels of high school programs, Visitation lessons for lower grades, Enhancement lessons on prescription drugs, Internet Safety/Bullying, and gangs as well as lessons for parents and community groups. Of equal or greater importance in this training is providing officers with the tools and skills necessary to help them transition to effective classroom teachers, with classes on educational concepts, teaching modalities and techniques, classroom management, and others.
DEA developed 6 drug fact cards on marijuana, DXM, MDMA (Molly), Heroin, and K2/Spice for teens and adults to download. The cards are 2-sided, 3x8 inches. Their website is: https://www.dea.gov/pr/publications.shtml
Pursuant to Policy and Procedures Statement MD-90-09 of the Maryland D.A.R.E. Coordinator and Maryland Community Crime Prevention Institute of the Police and Correctional Training Commissions, the mandated D.A.R.E. In-Service Training conference was conducted March 29-31, 2016 at the Princess Royale Resort Hotel and Conference Center in Ocean City, MD.
One hundred Maryland D.A.R.E. Instructors attended the D.A.R.E. specific training to maintain certification. D.A.R.E. instructors who have received their certification within the past 12 months did not fall under this mandate, but were encouraged to attend. The training this year focused refreshers in Educational Techniques, difficult Lesson Activities, Motivation, Adolescent Brain Development, Heroin and opiod update and Cops and Culture.
In accordance with the above policy, the Commissions provided the conference facility, instructional workshops, sleeping rooms and several meals (two breakfasts and one luncheon) free of cost to all Maryland D.A.R.E. Instructors. As always, this training was approved by PCTC for Police In-Service Credits. Registration forms specific to this annual D.A.R.E. In-Service Training Conference were emailed to all certified D.A.R.E. Instructors in Maryland for completion and submission to the State Coordinator.
The 2017 Maryland D.A.R.E. In-Service Conference will be planned for mid-April, 2017. Announcements will be forthcoming.
D.A.R.E. began in 1983 as a partnership between the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District to help prevent drug abuse and violence. The success of D.A.R.E.'s innovative approach soon attracted the attention of law enforcement and education nationwide, and it quickly spread to a national and international icon. The D.A.R.E. logo is the most recognizable trademark, second only to the American Red Cross.
In 1986 Baltimore County brought D.A.R.E. to Maryland. Thanks to several key agencies, it soon spread to every sub-division under the direction of the Maryland Police & Correctional Training Commissions. The Maryland D.A.R.E. Coordinator's Office was established to provide training, guidance, and resources free of charge, as well as to establish policy, standards, and communications with D.A.R.E. America. It monitors programs and officers, while coordinating efforts for and among local agencies.
In its 25 plus years D.A.R.E. has spread across the country and into foreign nations developing into a national and international program and has been granted "Consultative Status" by the United Nations. From its meager beginnings as an elementary school curriculum under its original local partnership, D.A.R.E. grew into an all encompassing curricula including elementary, middle school/junior high, and high school programs, as well as visitation lesson for K-4 and a parent education program. Today D.A.R.E. programs are delivered in all 50 states and 43 countries. Over the years the curricula have been updated or changed to meet the educational needs of students and communities. After school activities (D.A.R.E. PLUS) and enhancement lessons have been added to keep pace with a variety of contemporary issues facing the youth of today.
Local D.A.R.E. programs may be implemented in conjunction with other prevention and intervention programs, such as School Resource Officer (training which is included in D.A.R.E.), Gang Resistance Education And Training, Eddie Eagle, and others, providing that copyright is not violated. D.A.R.E. Officers many times fill dual roles within the police agency, such as patrol, investigative, special operations, youth, outreach, crime prevention and community policing. Some agencies designate D.A.R.E. Officers as full-time positions dedicated solely to D.A.R.E. operations within the community.
D.A.R.E. curricula may be adopted into a school system's comprehensive curriculum at specific grade levels to address that grade's segment of the mandated K-12 Drug Education. D.A.R.E. may also be utilized as an "add-on" program to enhance mandated curricula or substitute for it.
The scheduling design for presenting any curriculum is left to the discretion of the D.A.R.E. Officer/agency and the cooperating school district/administrator. Consideration must be given to the officer's availability, the school's schedule, and educationally sound best practices. Lessons may be taught in successive days (one lesson per day for 10 days), or successive weeks (one lesson per week for 10 weeks), or even several lessons per week for a few weeks (every-other day or every three days). Lessons are geared to 45-60 minute class periods, except for visitation lessons, which are shorter in length.
Except on rare occasions due to unforeseen circumstances, all curriculum lessons must be included in the copyrighted D.A.R.E. program for the educational level (elementary, middle, or high school), excluding the K-4 visitations. Although all the D.A.R.E. curriculums are designed to be used in succession for the total prevention impact, not all curriculums must be utilized. Each can be used independently of the others depending upon the needs of the local community. However, whatever curriculum(s) is/are provided, it/they must be presented in entirety with the exception of K-4.
Elementary Curriculum: The D.A.R.E. elementary program is designed for delivery in the exit year of elementary school, usually 5th or 6th grade. It consists of 9 classroom lessons followed by a culmination (session 10). One D.A.R.E. culmination is usually conducted for each school, and includes all D.A.R.E. students who received the program from each D.A.R.E. class (assembly).
Middle School Curriculum: This curriculum known as "keepin' it REAL" consists of 10 classroom lessons, and is designed for 7th grade; however, it may be presented in any middle-school grade.
Senior High Curriculum: These 9 classroom lessons are designed for 10th grade, but may be delivered in any high-school grade level.
K-4th grade: Called "Visitation Lessons", this program is designed to prepare younger students for the formal D.A.R.E. curriculum in later grades, and give them information pertaining to their safety and wellbeing. Grades K-2 use colorful study prints (large discussion picture cards) to facilitate discussion on a variety of youth related safety topics. Grades 3 & 4 have several written lessons for classroom presentation, which can be used in part or in entirety, over several sessions.
Enhancement Lessons: Additional lessons for Elementary and Middle School have been developed to address specific concerns of communities. They can also be provided as a standalone program by the D.A.R.E. Officers. These lessons include Bullying, Gangs, Prescription & Over-the-counter Drug Abuse, Internet Safety, Cyber-bullying, Sexual Predators, Role Modeling, and Methamphetamine. Use of enhancement lessons is voluntary.
For further information or clarification, please contact your local D.A.R.E. Officer, or the Maryland D.A.R.E. Coordinator's Office at 410.875.3426.
Left to Right: Claude J. Nelson Jr. (left) (410-875-3426), State D.A.R.E. Coordinator; Anne Thacker (410-875-3429), Youth Crime Prevention Specialist; Beth Chatfield (410-677-4540),
Educational Advisor, Lindy Hall-Fraddosio (410-875-3424),Regional Coordinator.
The D.A.R.E. Officer Training Program is an intensive two week (80+ hrs.) residential
training course that equips the entry level police officer with the skills and
knowledge to present the D.A.R.E. curriculum to 5/6th grade children. The training
focuses on developing communication skills, teaching methodology, classroom
management, narcotics overview, adolescent development and chemical use and
dependency, lesson preparation and effective demonstration of the curriculum.
Additionally, this lengthy and difficult training event requires that the officer
is truly committed to helping children live safe and healthy lives. That commitment
is the catalyst that helps carry most officers through. Ask any one of them
about the difficulty and they consistently reply, "it was one of the most difficult
trainings of my police career." National D.A.R.E. Training Schedule Maryland
Community Crime Prevention Institute.
The Maryland D.A.R.E. Training Center at the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions (M.P.C.T.C.) has scheduled the next D.A.R.E. Officer Training course in Maryland for September 18 - 30, 2016. The training will be held at the Public Safety Education and Training Center in Sykesville, MD.
This 80+ hrs. training is required by both D.A.R.E. America and M.P.C.T.C. for certification of all new D.A.R.E. Instructors, and provides successful graduates with authorization to deliver copyrighted D.A.R.E. curricula for elementary and middle school programs, parent and community programs, as well as several enhancement lessons on such topics as Bullying, Gangs, and Internet Safety. The focus of the training is to provide instructors with the skills necessary for successful classroom instruction and student learning. The course also provides instructional blocks for School Resource Officers and school-based policing officers.
This two-week certification course is free of cost to all Maryland candidates representing current D.A.R.E. participating agencies or agencies who will be implementing D.A.R.E. programs in their local communities for the 2016-17 school year. Lodging, two meals per day, instruction, and course materials are all provided free by M.P.C.T.C.
Training candidates representing agencies from outside the state of Maryland will be invoiced a nominal fee to cover the cost of lodging in the training center dormitory and the two meals provide each training day at the center (breakfast and lunch). These costs are estimated at $50.00 per day. All candidates will be responsible for their own dinner meal each day (and all meals over the weekend if necessary) at any of the many area dinning establishments.
Participation in all sessions of the course, completion of all training objectives, and satisfactory skills performance is required for certification. There is no other entry-level D.A.R.E. Officer Training proposed for the remainder of the upcoming 2017 fiscal year in Maryland, so carefully project your needs. It is required that participants be certified law enforcement officers with two years of experience. Waivers to this requirement are possible and granted on a case by case basis upon request.
Please complete the application (and waiver for out-of-state agencies) and return it to the State Coordinator by fax at 410-875-3420, or mail to: State D.A.R.E. Coordinator, 6852 4th Street, Sykesville, MD 21784, or emailed to: claude.nelson@maryland.gov . Applications must be authorized by the requesting agency. For further information call Claude Nelson at 410-875-3426 or Lindy Hall-Fraddosio at 410-875-3424.
An important aspect of effective prevention is the partnership of the teacher and the officer in the classroom. Here you will find information relevant to how D.A.R.E. ties into
health education and the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program.
