DARE Program in Schools

The Times deserves credit for focusing attention on the economic and social costs of crack cocaine in the Dec. 22 editorial, “An Addiction That Afflicts Us All.” Your call for greater emphasis on programs like DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) which attack this problem from the demand side is especially timely. While the crack epidemic continues to rage in our city, we have seen DARE disappear from middle and high schools in Los Angeles due to staffing cuts.

DARE uses specially trained police officers to teach children the practical skills necessary to avoid involvement with tobacco, alcohol, drugs, violence and gangs and make positive life choices. When DARE has been fully implemented with a core curriculum in elementary schools and ongoing reinforcement at the middle and high school level, we have seen remarkable progress: decreases in drug use, reduced vandalism and gang activity, and improved relations between youth and law enforcement.

Although the Police Commission voted unanimously in July to reinstate DARE in secondary schools, the Los Angeles Police Department has rejected this mandate and failed to allocate sufficient staffing for this critical prevention effort to proceed.

When you realize that the students now missing out on DARE are the very ones most at risk to crack, gangs and other destructive forces, you understand the urgent need to reinstitute the program in their schools. These kids face dangerous challenges on a daily basis that most of us never had to deal with growing up, yet we’re denying them a program that prepares them to tackle and conquer these difficulties.

Our children represent the future of this city. We must do everything within our power to give them the education and tools they need to avoid becoming part of another frightening statistic on crime and drugs. Concerned Angelenos can help in this effort by urging Police Chief Willie Williams to restore DARE to Los Angeles middle and high schools next semester, spring, 1995.

GLENN A. LEVANT

Executive Director, Worldwide

DARE, Los Angeles