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Moorpark rethinks funding for DARE
Drug program could be cut
STORY TOOLS 
More from Local NewsWhen 10-year-old Jacob Tobola-Thayer was approached recently by a group of teenage boys who asked him if he could find them an apple, he knew from their demeanor and from what he had learned in the school's DARE program that their request probably wasn't for a good purpose.
Jacob, a student at Campus Canyon School in Moorpark, said he learned through his school's police officer-led Drug Abuse Resistance Education program that people use things like apples as devices to smoke marijuana. He also learned through DARE to walk away from that kind of situation, which he and his younger siblings did that day.
Jacob, along with other students from Campus Canyon, graduated Monday from the DARE program in a ceremony held at Walnut Canyon School.
They were among more than 530 fifth-graders from five Moorpark elementary schools who graduated from the program that has been in the city since 1989. Deputy Chris Love, who is the city's DARE officer, presented the graduates with medals and certificates at the ceremony.
While students and parents have touted the benefits of DARE, Monday's graduation ceremony could be the city's last if the Moorpark City Council decides this month not to continue funding the program in the 2008-09 fiscal budget year.
The DARE program, which is funded entirely by the city, costs about $190,000 annually. City officials have said this year's budget might be tighter than usual because of the current economic climate, and programs such as DARE could be cut.
Moorpark Mayor Patrick Hunter said the DARE program currently is being recommended by city staff for funding in the budget that will be presented to the City Council tonight. Funding for an additional resource officer to work with at-risk high-schoolers is also being recommended in the final budget.
A budget workshop to determine what city programs will be funded will be held at 6 p.m. June 11.
During budget talks last year, the council met with opposition from DARE supporters when it considered replacing the DARE program with other drug prevention programs taught by school staff instead of law enforcement officials.
The city of Thousand Oaks opted last year to use high school resource officers in place of the DARE program. Simi Valley still supports a DARE program.
Critics have said there is no quantifiable proof that DARE works.
Hunter said he believes DARE is an essential component of the city's overall safety plan because it brings an officer into the classroom, working directly with students at a vulnerable age, rather than just patrolling the streets.
"I have attended most of the DARE graduations in this city, and seeing the level of enthusiasm coming from the students there, it has convinced me that it has made a difference in their lives," said Hunter.
Capt. Ron Nelson, chief of the Moorpark Police Department, said the department is prepared to work with city officials and the school district with whatever is decided.
"It's a great program and obviously it's an important program to us. (The Police Department) recognizes though that (city officials) will be working under significant budget constraints this year," said Nelson.
Posted by joeMomma on June 4, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wish that DARE was an effective program, however, the evidence suggest otherwise (check out the independent research on your own, then decide for yourself).
I personally believe that this program exists mainly to provide jobs for people who continue to expound and outdated and not empirically supported view of the drug abuse problems in this country. This is based on my decade as an alcohol and drug abuse researcher, as well as the two years I spent in south central LA working to reduce alcohol and drug abuse, as well as HIV prevention.
Posted by dragstripgirl on June 4, 2008 at 6:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
DARE is a completely worthless program. It is good in theory, but all it teaches is what drugs look like and how to do them. It may keep some 10 year olds from using but it does no good later on in years. It is up to parents to raise their children, teach them well and keep close relationships to avoid drug use. Even then, it can prove difficult.
Posted by rwfcpa on August 7, 2008 at 3:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Considering the screen names of the two previous posts, I would discount their comments as fact based.
I personally think the DARE program has been and will continue to be effective. The costs of deleting this program will be far greater on society than the cost of this program. It follows the old adage that an ounce of prevention is cheaper than a pound of cure.
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