Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jan 2000
Source: Santa Barbara News-Press (CA)
Copyright: 2000 Santa Barbara News-Press
Contact:  http://www.newspress.com/
Author: Dawn Hobbs, News-Press Staff Writer, RECOVERING POLICE CHIEF PROVIDES INSPIRATION FOR DARE GRADUATES

In his first public appearance since undergoing brain surgery in November,
Santa Barbara Police Chief Richard Breza congratulated nearly 450 students
who graduated Thursday from the DARE program.

"This is not a fashion statement or anything like that," said the widely
respected chief as he lifted his hat, revealing his head which has been
made bald by cancer treatments. "I'm not sure that everyone is aware of the
fact that I've been dealing with cancer.

"But when I heard we were doing a DARE graduation, I couldn't resist coming
down and congratulating all of you."

Breza stood on the stage in the Santa Barbara High School auditorium,
packed with fifth- and sixth-graders from Cleveland, Franklin, La Cumbre
and Monte Vista schools proudly wearing Drug Abuse Resistance Education
program T-shirts.

The chief, who hopes to return to work in February, underwent brain surgery
at UCLA Medical Center on Nov. 22 after a six-week regimen of radiation
failed to reduce the size of a tumor.

The surgery, however, proved productive when doctors were able to remove a
large portion of the tumor on the right side of his brain. Breza has also
been undergoing a daily chemotherapy treatment in a newly devised pill form.

"I seem to be reacting well to the chemotherapy," Breza said in his first
public comment about his condition since he collapsed on Labor Day. "If the
doctors feel happy about it, I feel happy about it."

It's been difficult to rest at home for the normally active 53-year-old
chief, who has held the department's top position since 1987, the same year
the DARE program began in Santa Barbara.

"Boredom sinks in ... it's tough," he said. "And I can't drive, so that's
frustrating."

Not only has it been a difficult time for Breza, but for the ranks at the
Figueroa Street station as well.

"The Santa Barbara Police Department is one big family," said Lt. Nick
Katzenstein. "And when someone is ill within that family, we all become
very concerned."

While physically tiring, Thursday's graduation also appeared uplifting to
the chief.

"A DARE graduation is one of the most important things we do to support
these young people," Breza said. "It seems to me that if we can prevent the
abuse of drugs and alcohol early on that we'll be much better off in the
future."

And the students seemed to agree. Those who wrote a winning essay about the
14-week drug abuse resistance program read them out loud, emphatically
speaking of the pain and problems that involvement with drugs, violence and
gangs can cause with family, friends and the police.

DARE Officers Mark Hunt and Jaycee Hunter enthusiastically extolled the
virtues of remaining drug free while students noisily cheered and clapped
in appreciation of the two officers.

A somber moment quieted the excited children, however, when Hunt took time
to remember one of his DARE students from La Cumbre who had died in a car
accident in November -- 11-year-old Laylah Seeman-Bell.

"Laylah's death really affected the students," Hunt said. "She was a very
special student ... She really lived life to the fullest ... and one of the
reasons she could live life to the fullest is because she stayed off of
drugs and alcohol."
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