Pubdate: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 Source: Daily Post-Athenian (TN) Copyright: 2002 East Tennessee Network - R.A.I.D. (Regionalized Access Internet Contact: http://dpa.xtn.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1673 Author: Ben Benton D.A.R.E. CLASSES WON'T BE HELD IN COUNTY McMinn County students won't be attending D.A.R.E classes this school year following the announced resignation of the Sheriff's Department's D.A.R.E. officer. Deputy Sgt. Brad Lane has served as the Sheriff's Department's D.A.R.E. officer since the summer of 1999, but Sheriff Steve Frisbie said this morning Lane has informed the department he intends to take another job. Frisbie said the departure leaves a gaping hole in the county's D.A.R.E. program and with no other officers trained to instruct in the program, county DARE classes will be suspended until next school year. In 1999, Lane replaced Sgt. Butch Witt, who was the program's original head when Frisbie and county school leaders first installed the program a year into Frisbie's first term seven years ago. In that amount of time, the program has graduated more than 5,000 students from D.A.R.E. But Frisbie said he couldn't say whether the D.A.R.E. program will resume next school year. "D.A.R.E. chooses the officer, not the other way around," Frisbie said. Frisbie said state D.A.R.E. officials must approve a department's candidate for the program before he can become its instructor. "I've been looking at different SROs (school resource officers) since they're already in the schools, but they would have to be trained and certified by the D.A.R.E. program," said Frisbie. "This caught us at a bad time with the school year started. Training is usually offered to the officers at the end of the school year during the summer," he said. Frisbie noted most of the SROs were funded through a federal grant that requires the county to pick up funding after the three-year grant period runs out. Frisbie said federal funding could be cut if the county fails to pick up the tab on the officers as required by the grant. The grant funds positions for three years, but at the end of the term the county is required by conditions of the grant to commit to the salaries for at least a year, Frisbie said. "The county has really cut my budget," Frisbie said. "Next year in April is when the grant comes up on the SROs. We'll have to see whether we'll retain them." Frisbie said the D.A.R.E. program took a hit over the last two years when the County Commission cut $19,000 from the Sheriff's Department's general fund. Frisbie said because most of the general fund is already earmarked for established costs, the only place cuts could be made was in the D.A.R.E. program. The County Commission "put funding we'd use in D.A.R.E. and put it in the jail budget for the raise for the corrections officers," Frisbie said. According to Frisbie, the Commission approved a $19,000 combined increase in the yearly salaries of 19 corrections officers. "But then they spent $19,000 on the pay scale survey on all county employees," Frisbie said of the Commission's move to establish equal salaries among everyone on the county payroll. Frisbie said he'd conducted his own salary survey at the time and didn't see the additional survey was necessary, as far as his department was concerned. Frisbie said continuing budget cuts aimed at his department have created a "wait and see" atmosphere for the two school-related programs. "They cut me every way they could and I've not said a word this year," Frisbie said. "I understand that this is a critical year and that's why I didn't say anything. But I got the biggest budget cut of any department - $124,000 this year. "So I'm just going to have to wait and see how this year goes," he concluded. Lane, whose last day with the Sheriff's Department will be Friday, is taking a position with an Athens financial firm. Lane is also seeking to return to college. "One of the other big reasons for leaving is that I got into the ministry over the summer and I'll be going to Antioch Baptist College in Knoxville seeking a degree in religious studies," Lane said this morning. "And I've always had an interest in banking and finances." Lane said in considering his wife and children, he also wanted to seek a "less hazardous profession" than police work. The move comes as a blow to one of his own children, Lane said. "My son was due to start D.A.R.E. this year and he's really disappointed," said Lane. "I regret I won't be able to have him in D.A.R.E. class. But we'll have our own D.A.R.E. class." Lane said he wanted to express his appreciation to the parents, students, teachers, school administrators and the Sheriff's Department for the opportunity to instruct the D.A.R.E. program. "I've made a lot of friends," he said. "I've got a lot of mixed emotions about leaving but, at the same time I'm excited about the future." Frisbie said he's not ready to throw in the towel on the program, however. "I like the D.A.R.E. program," said Frisbie. "I've supported it and I believe in it," he said. "But we've got to see if we're going to get to continue it." Frisbie commended Lane on his performance in the position of D.A.R.E. officer and wished him well in his new job. - --- MAP posted-by: Alex