Eighteen new DARE officers graduated today, Tuesday, August 16, from the DARE Officer Training at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. DARE stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. The program is an intensive two-week course designed using current educational philosophies and principles that enhance the transfer of decision-making and critical thinking skills. USD 365 Chief of Police, Phil Levota, was part of that graduating class and says he was amazed at the training. He says the concepts he learned will help him throughout his career, not just in teaching DARE.
Program graduates received and overview of topics including opioids, over the counter and prescription drugs, vaping in middle and high school and teen mental health lessons, created by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. DARE was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles to teach students about the impacts of drugs and violent behavior.
