Students love DARE

The St. Joseph County Police Department implemented the DARE program in 1996.  At that time the DARE program was taught in eleven schools.  Currently, our department serves eighteen schools throughout St. Joseph County.  

DARE goes far beyond the traditional drug abuse programs that emphasize drug identification and the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol.  These programs only warn children not to use substances, not how to resist the pressures to try them. DARE teaches children the skills they need to recognize and resist the subtle and overt pressures that may lead them to experiment with drugs and alcohol, recognize responsible decision making processes and help combat bullying.  

The primary goal of DARE is the prevention of substance abuse, responsible decision making, gang affiliation, and involvement in violence among school children.

DARE accomplishes this goal by:

·         Providing accurate information about drugs and alcohol.

·         Teaching students how to say "no" while providing alternatives to drug use

·         Teaching students decision-making skills and about the consequences of their behavior

·         Building students' self-esteem and teaching them to resist peer pressure.

Madison Students participated in the DARE Graduation held on December 4th after they completed a 10-week program with Sargent Cynthia Guest to learn DARE fundamentals. Each student wrote an essay about what they are taking away from the program that will help them stay strong in the future. Officer Guest selected a winning essay from each grade which was read at the graduation. Eliana Montgomery, fifth grade and Emma Laidig, fourth grade were the winning authors. Sheriff Michael D. Grzegorek and Sgt. Cynthia Guest presented certificates to all students.