This year numerous children throughout Rensselaer County will benefit from the D.A.R.E. program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education). The D.A.R.E. program gives kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs and violence and is taught by Deputy Jim Phelps. The program is designed to be taught by police whose training and experience give them the background to answer the specific questions often asked by young students about drugs and crime. D.A.R.E. is a deputy led series of classroom lessons that teaches students how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence free lives.

D.A.R.E. Provides Life-Skills

D.A.R.E. lesson plans focus on four major areas
     1. Providing accurate information about drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
     2. Teaching students good decision-making skills.
     3. Showing students how to recognize and resist peer pressure.
     4. Giving students positive alternatives to drug use.

D.A.R.E. officers work with children to raise their self-esteem, teach them how to make decisions on their own, and help them identify positive alternatives to drugs.

Key Program Elements

D.A.R.E. is a cooperative effort by the police, schools, parents, and the community - all four working together to help our children make the right choices concerning drug use.

What D.A.R.E. is NOT

- Scare tactics - D.A.R.E. relies on accurate information and a straight-forward approach.

- A "Witch Hunt" - D.A.R.E. officers NEVER encourage students to "turn in" family or friends who may be breaking the law. D.A.R.E. students are taught to say "someone I know…" when sharing stories; never using real names.

- "Hands on drugs" - How drugs are used (methods) are not taught. Drugs are never taken into a classroom as part of D.A.R.E.

You can contact deputy Phelps at dare@brittonkill.k12.ny.us