D.A.R.E. Program

The Salem Police Department D.A.R.E. program has been in existence since 1992, covering more than 32 different schools and teaching more than 25,000 students the information and skills to live a drug and violence free life. The Salem Police Department is very proud of our D.A.R.E. program and we continue to support ongoing proactive programs which prevent our youth from becoming involved in drugs, alcohol and crime.

Our program is a partnership with the Salem-Keizer School District. Historically, the District has paid for 50% of our two D.A.R.E. officers during the school year. Due to severe and ongoing budgetary issues, the School District is unable to continue funding for the D.A.R.E. officers. As a result, the Salem Police Department and the Salem-Keizer School District have worked together on a plan to maintain one full-time D.A.R.E. officer for the 2009-2010 school year with an approximately 50% reduction in D.A.R.E. classroom hours and students. We are pleased that the School District has agreed to allow us to maintain the D.A.R.E. program in our schools.

The South side of town and all private schools will have D.A.R.E. during the first half of the 2009/10 school year:

Lee (2 classes)

McKinley (2 classes)

Pringle (4 classes)

Salem Heights (2 classes)

Sumpter (3 classes)

Queen of Peace (1 class)

St Joseph (1 class)

Salem Academy (2 classes)

St Vincent (1 class)

The West and North side of town will have D.A.R.E. during the second half of the 2009/10 school year:

Highland (3 classes)

Hoover (3 classes)

Harritt (4 classes)

Chapman Hill (4 classes)

Myers (4 classes)

Hallman (maybe)

The new D.A.R.E. program has three main goals. First, new D.A.R.E. seeks to provide students with a knowledge base on the effects of drug abuse that go beyond the physical ramifications and extend to emotional, social, and economic aspects of life. Secondly, new D.A.R.E. aims to build decision-making and problem solving skills and strategies to help students make informed decisions and resist drug use, peer pressure, and violence. Lastly, an integral part of the new D.A.R.E. program is to provide students with alternatives to drug use. We are making a difference one school, one clasroom, one student at a time.

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