(Drug Abuse Resistance Education)

DEPUTY TONY DAVID
Office Phone: 507-444-3864
E-mail: tony.david@co.steele.mn.us

The D. A. R. E. mission includes teaching students good decision making skills to help them lead safe and healthy lives. We would like to equip the students with the tools that will enable them to avoid negative influences and instead, allow them to focus on their strengths and potential.

D. A. R. E. establishes positive relations between students and law enforcement. Contemporary America is rampant with challenges that could keep children from a positive life path. We attempt to educate students about the personal and social consequences of substance abuse and violence.

The Steele County Sheriff’s Office implemented the D.A.R.E. program in Steele County in 2003. Deputy David instructs the students in their classrooms for the 11 week program. Some of the lessons taught include: learning about the “gateway” drugs which include tobacco, alcohol and marijuana. The students also learn about methamphetamine and the abuse of prescription/over-the-counter drugs and inhalants.

The students learn about problem solving by the use of the D.A.R.E. decision making model. The students also learn about friendship, peer pressure and bullying. This area is taught by allowing the students to respond to various situations and classroom activities where the students work together in pairs or groups in order to achieve a positive outcome.

Locally, Deputy David provides D. A. R. E. training to students in the Medford and New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Public Schools - approximately 150 students annually. His efforts are funded by the schools, the Steele County Sheriff’s Office and private donations.

At the conclusion of the course, the students are required to complete a written report on what they learned and present it to their class. The students are rewarded with a graduation ceremony where they are recognized for thief efforts. The students receive their “official” D.A.R.E. t-shirt and after the ceremony are treated to pizza.