The D.A.R.E. Program

By Mike Simmons

The DARE and SRO team. L-R: Chris Echele, Grace Reid, Joe Spirakis, Shawn Dockery, DARE Bear, Heather Mallett, Pet Parkins, Katie Lawrence, Wayland Mann, Chris Huffman.

The DARE program originated in Los Angeles in 1983 as a collaborative effort between the LAPD and the Los Angeles School District. The program consisted of 17 lessons targeted toward fifth-grade children. The lessons, taught by specially-trained law enforcement officers, spread across the country like wildfire!

Officer Wayland Mann, who was named the DARE officer of the year one year.

Lt. Greg Moody, the commander of the unit

The April 21, 1990 edition of the Pensacola News Journal contained an article entitled, “Police officers to fight drug use in schools.” It explained that two officers – Covo Gardner and Lamar Pate – had been assigned to the new DARE program and were scheduled to attend training in Orlando in June 1990. Then they had the responsibility of teaching fifth-grade children in 10 elementary schools in the core curriculum and K-4 in orientation classes. They were soon joined by a few others, then a few others, until the program became a staple in every school in the city limits. Other area agencies joined in and soon the D.A.R.E. program was spread across the panhandle!

Sgt. Chris Huffman, Supervisor of the unit and a favorite D.A.R.E. instructor

Of course, the curriculum taught choices about using drugs, but the big advantage was the personal, one-on-one interaction by police officers with an entire generation of kids who never forgot their DARE teacher. Ask any adult today from an Escambia County school who taught them DARE, and they will immediately say, “Officer Gardner,” “Officer Pate,” or any of another dozen or more officers. It was a highlight for the kids. It was also a highlight for the officers!