Pubdate: Thu, 11 Sep 2008
Source: Purcell Register, The (OK)
Copyright: 2008 Purcell Register
Contact: http://www.purcellregister.com/forms/feedback.asp
Website: http://www.purcellregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4859
Author: Susie Williams-Allen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

NEW DARE OFFICER BEGINS

Youth Learn Skills Needed to Avoid Drugs, Gangs and Violence

Purcell, Ok -- Youth attending Purcell Schools will be seeing a new 
face this year when it comes to DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education).

Purcell Police Officer Scott Stephens will be the new part-time DARE 
instructor. He comes into the job after longtime DARE instructor Phil 
Hightower retired in the spring.

DARE is an opportunity to give youth the skills needed to avoid 
involvement in drugs, gangs and violence.

A police officer or deputy sheriff leads the series of classroom 
lessons that teach children and youth from kindergarten through 12th 
grade. These lessons teach how to resist peer pressure and live 
productive drug- and violence-free lives.

Stephens will be teaching fifth grade once a week this semester and 
seventh grade one day during the week next semester, he said. The 
other four days of the week Stephens will be on patrol.

Before taking the job, Stephens had to have 80 hours of special 
training in order to get the background needed to answer questions 
posed by students.

The 80 hours training provides him with the capabilities of teaching 
techniques, classroom management and communication skills.

An additional 40 hours is needed to be able to teach high school curriculum.

DARE is a way to "humanize" police officers with young people. It 
allows youth to be able to relate to officers as people.

The program also lets youth see police officers in a helping role, 
not just from the enforcement side.

It opens the communication lines between children, youth and police.

Along with illegal drugs, such as marijuana, methamphetamine and 
others, DARE instructors have another rising problem. That problem is 
with prescription drugs.

Pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants and sedatives are 
substances most commonly abused by young people in the United States.

Prescription drugs are readily available. They can get them from 
classmates, friends, family members and steal from people for whom 
the drug was legitimately prescribed.

Stephens has been a police officer in Purcell for 10 years. Prior to 
his service at Purcell, he was with the Cleveland County Sheriff's 
Office for two years and with Southwestern Bell for 18 years.

The new DARE officer has a Bachelor's degree in business from the 
University of Oklahoma and received his Master's from Southern Nazarene.

His certification in the law enforcement field is extensive. Along 
with the standard Council on Law Enforcement and Education Training, 
Stephens has an advanced certification from CLEET. He is also a CLEET 
instructor and certified in the Standardized Field Sobriety Testing.

Stephens is looking forward to teaching youth right and wrong through 
the DARE program. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake