Drug Abuse Resistance Education
Plans to bring D.A.R.E. to Le Mars began in the summer of 1995. Then
Chief of Police, Casey Stengel, was looking for a program that would
help Law Enforcement get involved with the kids of our community in an
educational and friendly way instead of in a court room when one of the
children would be in trouble. Chief Stengel retired before the program
started but the present Chief of Police, Stuart Dekkenga, saw the
potential for the D.A.R.E. program. Working with the schools, a plan was
made for the implementation of the program and Senior Officer Jay King
was sent to D.A.R.E. Officer Training held by D.A.R.E. Iowa. Officer
King has said that the training provided turned out to be the best
training he has ever received in his 20 years in Law Enforcement.
The D.A.R.E. core program first entered the schools in the fall of 1996
with 230 5th grade students participating. The program was well received
by the children and teachers alike. The teachers and counselors in the
schools provide the D.A.R.E. Officer with advice and techniques for
reaching the children and reinforce the lessons that the D.A.R.E.
Officer teaches.
The D.A.R.E. program is now set to begin its third year in Le Mars. It
has expanded from just classroom lessons to include many positive
alternative activities for the children. The children can participate in
swimming parties, rallies, poster contests, pizza parties and a chance
to take a trip to Adventureland in the summer. D.A.R.E. Le Mars also
hopes to expand its programs by introducing a D.A.R.E. Parent Class in
the future.
D.A.R.E. Le Mars would not be possible if not for the people of Le Mars.
Every year businesses and citizens reach into their pockets and donate
to the program. Without their generosity there would be no program.
A special thanks needs to go to Shari Sitzmann. Shari is a one woman
army who during the year takes care of the fund raising and the bill
paying. Shari has been involved in D.A.R.E. Le Mars since it was
created. She works non stop to help make sure that the program has what
it needs to help reach the children of our community to help stop the
Abuse of Tobacco, Alcohol, Marijuana and other drugs.
THE D.A.R.E. BOX
Do you have a question that you would like answered? Don't be afraid to
ask your D.A.R.E. Officer. You can ask your question in class or use the
Le Mars Police Department E-Mail D.A.R.E. Box below. Your questions will
be answered as soon as possible.
E-Mail us.
Additional Links
DARE America www.dare.com/
DARE Iowa
www.dareiowa.org/