Pubdate: Sat, 06 Jan 2001
Source: Saturday Okanagan,  The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 Saturday Okanagan
Address: 550 Doyle Ave., Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 7V1
Website: http://www.ok.bc.ca
Contact:  Joyce Langerak

DRUG PROGRAM UNTAINTED BY OFFICER'S DEATH

DARE Program, Which Was Launched By Courtenay's Const. Barry 
Schneider, Will Go Ahead This Month As Planned In Penticton

The discovery of a lethal concentration of heroin in the body of a 
Courtenay drug squad officer shouldn't harm the validity of an 
anti-drug program in Penticton, said RCMP Staff Sgt. Pete McLaren 
Friday.

Const. Barry Schneider, who died in Courtenay, Nov. 29, was a friend 
and colleague, said McLaren.  The two worked together on the Burnaby 
drug squad.

Cocaine was also found in Schneider's blood.

Until the results of the autopsy were made knowm Dec.15, it was 
believed the 43-year-old father of two had died of a heart attack.

Police officers are not required to undergo drug testing, said McLaren.

Schneider launched the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in 
Courtenay schools and was highly respected for his work in drug abuse 
prevention.

DARE, a 17-week drug and violence awareness program which originated 
in Los Angeles in 1983, will be presented to some 400 Grade 5 and 6 
students in Penticton starting Jan.11.  Seven members of the 
Penticton detachment have been trained to present the program which 
has been in Penticton schools for several years.

"I don't think it should have an impact on our DARE program in the 
least," said McLaren.  "This is an incident involving an individual 
officer.  It shouldn't taint the program we have.  We're spending a 
phenomenal amount of time in schools teaching this program to Grade 
6s.  There have been many, many positives come out of the program in 
Penticton."

Among other things, the program gives young students the tools to 
deal with peer pressure to use drugs and alcohol.  "Building their 
self-esteem is a huge part of it," said McLaren.  "There are some 
tools for avoiding violence.  The feedback I'm getting from parents, 
teachers and DARE officers themselves is that there's a huge change 
in the students' demeanor from the beginning of the course to the 
end."

Some problem students have made a complete turn-around as a result of 
the program, said the staff sergeant.

Okanagan Skaha Superintendent Vern Berg sais Schneider's death was 
tragic, but he did not think it would have any impact on the success 
of the program in Penticton.

"I think it's a tragic thing whatever the circumstances were," he 
said Friday.  "My hope is something positive will come out of it.  I 
don't think the action of one person will stand in the way of (the 
program) continuing to be successful."

The Penticton detachment has experienced a drug-related problem of its own.

On Nov.15, former Penticton constable Mark Webb pleaded guilty to 
possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and 
obstruction of justice.  He had been suspended in August 1999 when he 
became the subject of an internal police investigation.  Webb will be 
sentenced this month.

At the time, Sgt. Walt Makepeace of the Penticton RCMP said, "I think 
the public realizes this is a very rare occurrence."  It was the 
first time such an incident had occurred at the Penticton detachment.
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