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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubstance Abuse Committee Information-Report 1989-1990 �=��ITIf;1 uN 44- row 1111M / c►OR.,,�' .`-. CITY OF ITHACA 108 EAST GREEN STREET ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850 OFFICE OF TELEPHONE: 272-1713 MAYOR CODE 607 IMPORTANT NOTICE TO: Community Leaders FROM: John C. Gutenberger, Mayor Harlin R. McEwen, Police Chief DATE: August 17, 1989 Police Chief Harlin McEwen and I are writing to invite you to attend a very important meeting concerning illegal drugs in our community. This meeting will be held at the Women's Community Building on August 31, 1989 starting at 8:30 a.m. We will try to limit the meeting to one hour. It is obvious to all that we have drug dealers on our streets, in our offices, on our school grounds and on our college campuses. We must take steps to develop a comprehensive local plan of action to deal with all aspects of illegal drugs and we are asking you to join with us in this effort. The meeting is of vital importance -- please attend. To ensure that sufficient seating is available, please call Betty or Bonnie at 272-7676 if you are able to attend. Also, please feel free to invite others that you feel would be interested. "An Equal Opportunity Employer with an Affirmative Action Program" RECEIVED AUG 241989 ,41 y gyp. r =v STATE OF NEW YORK OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ALBANY 12224 STAN LUNDINE 518/474-4623 LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR August 18, 1989 Mayor John Gutenberger City of Ithaca City Hall Ithaca, NY 14850 Dear Mayor Gutenberger: Earlier this year, Governor Cuomo created the Statewide Anti-Drug Abuse Council to coordinate the State's efforts in fighting drug and—alcohol abuse. I chair the Council, which also includes the Commissioners or Directors of Health, Education, Criminal Justice, Substance Abuse Services and Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse. The Executive Order establishing the Council requires us to present a report to the Governor by October 1, 1989, outlining a comprehensive strategy for dealing with drug and alcohol abuse. Substance abuse is a pervasive problem affecting all areas of the State. Therefore, I believe it's critical that the strategy report reflect an understanding of local issues, problems and priorities. I have already written to several hundred knowledgeable individuals throughout the State who were suggested by my fellow council members. Many of them have offered invaluable insights. I am equally interested in your perspectives regarding necessary components of the overall strategy including, but not limited to, specific recommendations for State action. I would also like to hear about any initiatives that have been undertaken in your communities to combat substance abuse and its attendant problems. I am looking forward to your response. Sincerely, Stan Lundine P.O. Box 156 Dryden, New York, 13053 August 21, 1989 City of Ithaca 108 East Green Street Ithaca, New York, 14850 Attn: John C. Gutenberger, Mayor Harlin R. McEwen, Chief of Police Dear Mayor Gutenberger and Chief McEwen, I was thoroughly delighted to receive your notice of the meeting on Drugs at the Women' s Community Building on August 31st. I shall be present. When it comes to the drug problem, I qualify as a rad- ical , ie: capitol punishment for dealers and pushers etc. . However, we know that will never be acceptable in society during our lifetime. The reason for this letter is to encourage both of you to formulate the meeting in a manner that will discourage too much time discussing the problem, we all know it' s here, and maximum time brain-storming methods to deter and/or reduce drug trafficking. While drug education is a necess- ity it will not result in any sizeable impact on the drug trade in our community. Making drug pushers "feel the heat" by imposing the "most extreme" punishment allowed by law in "each" and "every" conviction is the only way we will even make a glitch in reducing the degree of drug traffic we now experience. The commitment necessary at the meeting should be to get those in attendance to "put their money where their mouth is" by agreeing to increased taxes or other forms of monetary assessment that will allow our law enforcement agencies to aggressively pursue and apprehend every traffic- ker who attempts to do business in Tompkins County. Accompanying this commitment is the need to get our judicial branch to agree to the maximum sentence in each and every instance where a person is convicted of drug traffick- ing. No plea bargaining unless such promises to result in the arrest and conviction of others whose conviction and incar-ceration would have a greater impact in deterring traffick-ing in our community. Drug trafficking has to be viewed with the same degree of concern as "murder" . It is not a "social" but rather a "criminal" problem and should be dealt with accordingly. Having said all this, I would make the recommendation that a Special Commission be formed to study and suggest action to appropriate authority to commence a direct attack against drug trafficking in Tompkins County. It should be comprised of, but not limited to, the following: A Member representing Common Council A Member representing the County Board of Reps A Member representing Law Enforcement A Member representing the Judicial Branch A Member representing the Medical Profession A Member representing the Educational Community A Member representing the Student Population A Member representing ex-addicts A Member representing the Legal Professions A Member representing the Business Community A Member representing the Community At Large A Member representing Drug Education & Awareness Before the Commission is established however there is need for public endorsement of such a Commission by both the city and county as well as their respective law enforce- ment agencies. The Commission' s recommendations must be taken seriously, and where warranted put into programs of action. Barring this, your effort, meeting, and the Com- mission itself, will be conceived as "just another political ploy" and will , in a short period of time, join the many such efforts that "might have been" . This move can have one of the most positive impacts on the present and future generations of our community to happen in a decade. It will not become reality however un- less the both of you exercise every resource at your dispo- sal . I pray that you do so! For every -uc RA ;4 JO;.. N RECEIVED AUG31 1989 At NA O . ITHACA HOUSING AUTHORITY V I 800 SOUTH PLAIN STREET ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850 607-273-8629 MARY LOUISE BATTISTI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR August 31, 1989 Honorable John C. Gutenberger Mayor, City of Ithaca 108 East Green Street Ithaca, New York 14850 Dear Mayor Gutenberger: SUBJECT: A Drug Free America I wish to take this opportunity to commend you and Chief McEwen for your pro- fessional posture during the forum held this morning on the "Drug Problem in the City of Ithaca." It seemed a shame that even when such a grave subject as drugs was being seri- ously discussed, certain members of the community used it as a political meet- ing to take cheap shots at you - the Mayor - and our police officers who do the best they can under the heated Southside climate. The officers are "damned if they do, and damned if they don't!" I have served as the Executive Director of the Ithaca Housing Authority for the past thirteen (13) years and, with few exceptions, the police officers have shown courtesy, fairness and benevolence to both the family tenants (on the south, north and west side of the City) , as well as our frail elderly in Titus Towers I and II. Enclosed are memorandums and notices that I have received in reference to Drug Abuse Elimination Efforts in Public Housing throughout the country. I am sure, as you peruse this material, the information may be helpful to you in coordin- ating a community effort to combat this insidious plague. I will keep you apprised of any new developments that I receive from Washington. Good luck in your endeavors, and if I can help in any way, please contact me. Sincerely, Ma ( ;,........46?-te-Lt-,-) ouise Battisti Executive Director MLB:psd Enclosures cc: Chief Harlin McEwen RECEIVED SEP 6 1989 TOMPKINS CORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE 170 North Street, P.O. Box 139, Dryden, New York 13053-0139 (607)844-8211 TO: hn C. Gutenberger, Mayor Harlin R. McEwen, Police Chief FROM: Walter L. Poland .sICy— Dean of Student Services DATE: August 31, 1989 RE: Community Drug Problem You are to be commended for the initiative to combat illegal drugs in our community. As the Dean of Student Services at Tompkins Cortland Community College and the College ' s representative at your Community Leaders ' meeting, I would like to indicate my sincere interest in working with, as well as, being appointed to the Community Drug Council. As you know two-thirds of the 3,000 plus students registered at the Community College come from Tompkins County, and the majority of those live in and around the city of Ithaca. The college experience effects the area drug problems as seriously as any organization or agency. We have a devout commitment to education and abatement of the illicit use of drugs . If I, or the College, can participate in the tasks of the Council please feel free to contact myself or Dr. Eduardo Marti, President of the College. st an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer RECEIVED SEP 5 1989 Tompkins-,Countr BOARD OF REPRESENTATIVES Cout House,lioise,'Ithsi6VNA. 14850 September 1, 1989 Hon. John C. Gutenberger City of Ithaca Mayor City Hall 108 East Green Street Ithaca, NY 14850 Dear Gutie, First, I want to thank you and Chief McEwen for the session on August 31. Personally, I was afraid it would become a political forum; you are to be commended for keeping on the subject and keeping the subject separate from politics. As you stated so well, the problem of drug use transcends all political considerations. As you know, this past year there has been an organized comprehensive needs assessment of health and human services in the County. This effort has been funded by the United Way, the Human Services Coalition, the County, the City, and others. This effort has been called FOCUS, and I have been involved as one of the three co-chairman. Efforts have been directed by a steering committee of 15 and a larger partnership of about 50 people. FOCUS is now at a point where we have identified, through surveys, data collection, and personal interviews, five problems in the area of human services which we feel must be addressed by the community as a whole. You will be interested to know that one of the five is substance abuse. Our process calls for the formation of "action groups" to address each problem, and later this month we will begin creating those groups. The action groups will be composed of a broad cross section of the community - exactly the kind of representation you detailed for your Community Drug Abuse Council. I am writing you for two reasons: 1) we have much data and information which could be made available to your Council if wanted, and 2) I would ask that you consider appointing one of our steering committee members to your Council. The liaison and communication could, I believe, benefit both FOCUS and your Council. The steering committee does not meet until September 27, but if the idea interests you, we would be happy to discuss names with you before then. On the 27th, I would like to suggest to the steering committee that your Council be our "action group" for substance abuse. Our goals are the same: A broad-based approach to a community-wide problem and an attempt to find community-wide solutions to our problem. Hon. John C. Gutenberger September 1, 1989 Page 2 I would appreciate knowing your thoughts on this. Thanks again for the very positive meeting. a _16 < Sincerely, i` Y-- � 54Vv i �-- � Mary G. C.11, Representative District No. 10 cic cc: Marian Brand, Assistance Director for Allocations United Way Linda Beins, Executive Director Human Services Coalition RECEIVED SEP 6 1989 TRINNGLE AILSTEEL INC. September 5, 1989 John C. Gutenberger, Mayor 108 East Green Street Ithaca, NY 14850 Dear Sir: You and Chief McEwen are to be commended on your renewed consciousness of our drug problem and on your commitment to organizing a new front to combat it. As usual , the meeting on August 31 turned out to be more of a forum for personal and fractional media exposure than for positive commitment but then, this is Ithaca. I heard the statistic recently that 11% of the population in the United States is involved in the sale or use of illegal drugs. That is certainly bad news but the good news is that 89% of us are drug free. My point is that working with schools and with business and through political entities, including your commission, is very important but how are you going to make it possible for the average citizen to become involved? 90% of the population is a powerful force to ignore. Regards, Sterling J Fulmer President SJF:BCT cc: H. McEwen, Police Chief 726 West Clinton St. — P.O. Box 910 — Ithaca, New York, 14850 — (607) 272-8800 560 Philo Rd. — Elmira, New York, 14903 — (607) 739-8708 ° I4�sSEP 11 1989 Affr, r,, RECEIVED CITY OF ITHACA POLICE DEPARTMENT 120 EAST CLINTON STREET ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850-5689 Harlin R.McEwen Telephone: (607)272-3245 Chief of Police Records: 272-9973 Public Relations: 272-9974 September 8, 1989 Dr. James E. Lorthridge Superintendent of Public Schools City of Ithaca School District 400 Lake Street Ithaca, New York 14851 Dear Dr. Lorthridge: As requested, please find enclosed another collection of materials concerning the DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION "D.A.R.E. " Program. I am receiving tremendous community support for the implementation of such a program since the public meeting which Mayor Gutenberger and I held on August 31st. I appreciate your attending. You should know that the Ithaca Rotary Club has reserved $4, 000 in their Community Service Funds to pay for the necessary materials to implement the program. I am also pleased to be able to report that I have arranged the necessary DARE training for Investigator Finnerty of this Department, and he will be attending classes for the next two weeks in Meriden, Connecticut, sponsored by the Connecticut State Police. When Investigator Finnerty completes his training, I will be contacting you to arrange for a meeting of the appropriate school officials to further discuss the possible implementation of the DARE program on a pilot basis in one or more fifth grade classes in the Spring term. Your continuing interest and support is very much appreciated. Sincerely, Harlin R. McEwen Chief of Police HRM/rhk Enclosure cc: Mayor John C. Gutenberger RECEIVED SEP 19 1989 OFFICE G-10 301 SOUTH GENEVA STREET Alcoholism Council of Tompkins County ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850 PHONE 273-5422 FLORENCE B. RICCIUTI, PH.D. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR September 15 , 1989 Honorable John Gutenberger 120 E . Clinton Street Ithaca, New York 14850 Dear Mayor Gutenberger , I am happy to have been able to attend the community meeting on Illicit Drugs as a representative of the Alcoholism Council of Tompkins County, and to hear the well developed ideas of you, the Police Chief and other community members . I was disappointed that you did not have the foresight to invite us directly as you did other community agencies and leaders . It appears that you and the Chief are well aware of the complexity of our community' s and nation' s drug and alcohol use problems, and that the problem of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence is indeed a drug problem for a large part inseparable from the overall drug problem. As you probably know, New York State, in recognition of the drug and alcohol connection, has begun a process of merger of the Divisions of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, and in recognition of the alcohol and crime connection, have begun an active partnership between the Divisions of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and Corrections . We support your efforts including the initiative of the Planning Council that you described and submit that the Alcoholism Council ' s treatment and education program be represented on the Planning Council . I am Director of Outpatient Clinic Services and Pam Sabalos of Educational Prevention Services of the Alcoholism Council . It , of course, makes sense to include Alpha House on this Council , as well . UNI D , [IYIM6 MEMBER AGENCY UNITED WAY page 2 Mayor John Gutenberger In your presentation you made statements regarding the need for improvement of treatment programs . It is my impression that our political leaders have little understanding of treatment and the services offered by treatment , including the scope and limitations of treatment . People outside of treatment often lack such information and understanding as they may have minimal or no direct contact with treatment programs . Statements are often made regarding programs without benefit of facts that support those statements . This is akin to statements made about mayoral and common council decisions, police performance, law enforcement efforts, etc . For instance, while the Alcoholism Council ' s clinic program has a four to five month wait list, referrals of young people and families from Family Court and Child Protective and Preventative Services , as well as the schools are considered a major priority, are moved ahead on our wait list , and are seen within one to two weeks . There are other situations that qualify as emergencies and urgent and are likewise given immediate attention. We are committed to providing quality treatment . People remain clients in our program until they have achieved goals that indicate that their problems are remitted. Our counselors are specially trained to help clients achieve this state . That there is a wait list is not an indication of lack of quality in service, but of increasing high demand for treatment of which there is limited supply. In fact , Tompkins County would have to double its rehabilitative efforts in order to meet the demand for treatment . This is how widespread our alcohol and drug use problems are . We applaud your efforts to combat the drug problem in the City of Ithaca. It will take the concerted effort and cooperation of treatment , education-prevention, police, judicial , corrections, law enforcement , schools, churches and business areas of our community if we are to be successful in this effort . This commitment will need increased financial investment so that we are adequately armed or tooled to most effectively and systematically address the problem. I look forward to participating in our community' s efforts at addressing this very serious problem. Sincerely, Will Baez , Ph.D. , CAC Counselor WB/rf cc : Harlin McEwen, Ithaca City Police Chief • 1 RECEIVED NOV 13 1989 [`JIMgrim ` 1 11 S CITY OF ITHACA 'I JAMES L. GIBBS DRIVE ITHACA, NEW YORK 1 4850 OFFICE OF TELEPHONE: 273-8364 YOUTH BUREAU CODE 607 TO: Mayor John C. Gutenberger and Members of Common Council FROM: Alice Green, Secretary, Ithaca Youth Bureau Advi -o Board RE: IYB Resolution on Drug Abuse Prevention DATE: Nov. 8, 1989 At its regular meeting last month the Ithaca Youth Bureau Advisory Board discussed the problem of drug and alcohol abuse in Ithaca, particularly as it relates to youth issues and programs. The enclosed resolution was passed unanimously by the board. It represents a commitment on the part of the Youth Bureau and its Board to be major participants in the fight against drug and alcohol abuse. The Board also expressed an interest in leading efforts • to gather information about the extent of the local problem, and about programs that might be mobilized or expanded to fight it. Board members and staff look forward to working with you on this important community issue. "An Equal Opportunity Employer with an Affirmative Action Program" RESOLUTION REGARDING DRUB ABUSE PREVENTION Adopted Unanimously by the Ithaca Youth Bureau Advisory Board October 10, 1989 WHEREAS, The Ithaca Youth Bureau Advisory Board is aware of the individual and societal problems resulting from the abuse of drugs and alcohol; and WHEREAS, the Board met on October 10, 1989 at a regularly scheduled meeting and has considered the issue, and WHEREAS, the by-laws of the Ithaca Youth Bureau provide that "The object of this Bureau shall be to coordinate, foster, and supplement the activities of public agencies and programs devoted in whole or in part to the welfare of youth in and about the City of Ithaca which may wish to come under its auspices , and to cooperate with other agencies working toward this goal . " and WHEREAS, the by-laws also provide that "the Youth Bureau Board shall have the power and it shall be its duty to adopt a program of activities designed to promote the welfare of youth in and about the City of Ithaca. " and WHEREAS, the Ithaca Youth Bureau has, by virtue of its historical functioning within the Ithaca community, the knowledge and background of its staff , and its established relationships with other city and county agencies , a broad-based understanding, and thus a knowledge as to the service needs of the youth population of the greater Ithaca area, and WHEREAS, the Board concurs that the problem of drug abuse in the City of Ithaca is best dealt with by way of a coordinated, multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary, community-based approach to prevention, detection, education, intervention and rehabilitation; therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Ithaca Youth Bureau Advisory Board pledges to support , in all ways possible, efforts deemed appropriate and necessary by the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Ithaca to deal with the problem of illegal drug use and alcohol abuse, and further be it RESOLVED, that such support , depending upon available resources, may include, but not be limited to: representation on any organized task-force/advisory committee(s ) ; conveyance of data/knowledge pertaining to the population of new program initiatives , and the development and implementation of such if called upon; and continued diligence in the provision of quality prevention and education for youth and their families . f 1' f.v: aas Ili„.1..... ,r4 PoIA?EO=- ' CITY OF ITHACA 108 EAST GREEN STREET ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850 OFFICE OF TELEPHONE: 272-1713 MAYOR CODE 607 DECEMBER 29, 1989 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: MAYOR JOHN C. GUTENBERGER 272-1713 Ext. 231 MAYOR GUTENBERGER APPOINTS COMMUNITY DRUG ABUSE COUNCIL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: NAMES WALTER POLAND CHAIR Mayor John C. Gutenberger announced today the formation of a Community Drug Abuse Council Organizing Committee (List Attached) to be Chaired by Walter L. Poland, Dean of Student Services at Tompkins Cortland Community College. Mayor Gutenberger stated, "This committee is the outgrowth of the 'Call for Action' (copy attached) meeting held at the Women's Community Building in August which was highly attended. With the support generated at that meeting Police Chief McEwen and I began to put together a community wide task force to develop an action plan to deal with the many aspects of illegal drugs and substance abuse.” Mayor Gutenberger continued, "As the Chief and I began to assemble the committee it became apparent that, to be effective, the Drug Abuse Council "An Equal Opportunity Employer with an Affirmative Action Program' must be community generated and not just a creation of the Police Chief or the Mayor. The committee I am appointing today is the beginning step with the charge to the organizing committee that it develop the permanent structure, goals, programs and membership of the Drug Council." Mayor Gutenberger emphasized that the organizing committee is only the first step and is not intended to be all inclusive for there are many facets to our local drug problem that need to be addressed. The permanent Drug Council will have to have broader representation than the organizing committee the Mayor stated. Walter Poland stated, "I am honored that the Mayor has asked me to serve in this capacity and I look forward to developing a community wide coordinated approach to the drug and alcohol abuse problem that is effecting every segment of our society." Mr. Poland further stated, "I will be calling the organizing committee together right after the first of the year so we can begin developing the agenda and setting up the frame work for the permanent Community Drug Abuse Council." - 30 - Attachments y' 3 DRUG ABUSE COUNCIL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Walter Poland, Chair Chief Harlin McEwen Kenneth Myers Dick Matthews Matthew Wall Clarence Reed Sterling Fulmer Horst Simon Will Baez Mike Levy Jean Cookingham Neff Casaburri Audrey Cooper Rev. Robert Williams Connie Patterson Ralph Jordan Sam Cohen Mimi Granger Al Smith Rev. Daniel Little Thomas Bennett Dorothy Sholeen Molly Cummings Mary Louise Battisti Bill Gilmore Dawn Auble John Ware THE DRUG PROBLEM IN THE CITY OF ITHACA A CALL FOR ACTION JOHN C . GUTENBERGER MAYOR AUGUST 31 , 1989 THE DRUG PROBLEM IN THE CITY OF ITHACA A CALL FOR ACTION I am calling upon the residents of the City of Ithaca to join with me in a plan of action to deal with an increasing problem of illegal drugs in our community. It is obvious to all that we have drug dealers on our streets, in our offices in our schools and on our college campuses. Until recently, Americans have deluded themselves about the dangers and extent of illegal drug use and in many cases denied there was a problem. Denial was often based on ignorance and misinformation and was sometimes simply self-serving; no one wanted to admit to being the mayor of a city with a drug problem or the principal of a drug-ridden school . Few pastors or parents were willing to admit they had a problem in their midst. To do so was an admission that they were not doing their job well. Now is the time for all national , state and local governments to take the lead in admitting the extent of the problem and to provide the necessary leadership in solving it. Our police department is now in a much stronger position to deal with the problem. The Ithaca Police Department, under the leadership of our new Chief of Police Harlin McEwen, has restructured its manpower to address the problem. A Special Investigative Unit (SIU) has been created within the Investigative Division to deal almost exclusively with narcotic and drug enforcement. Working closely with the Tompkins County Drug Task Force, the New York State Police, the District Attorney, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration, this unit is already making an impact on local drug dealing. In addition, a Crime Prevention Unit (CPU) has been created and one of the main thrusts of the unit is the Prevention and Education aspect of drug abuse. Police personnel are currently getting advanced training in enforcement, prevention and education techniques relative to drugs. We must now take steps to develop a comprehensive local plan of action to deal with all the aspects of illegal drugs. I am therefore going to create a Community Drug Abuse Council to develop such an action plan by bringing together persons representing local school officials, drug treatment centers, medical associations, businesses, counseling services, the media, labor, civic associations and churches, law enforcement and other criminal justice representatives. It is important that all segments of our city have input into the plan and make a commitment to participating in its implementation. 1 • The Council will be asked to develop and coordinate, at a minimum, 1) prevention activities, 2) education programs, 3) enhanced criminal justice efforts, and 4) treatment programs. It will be charged with promoting innovative programs, the development of stable funding sources and dissemination of current information. I am recommending that the Council consider the following: 1. Prevention Activities a. Service organizations, business groups, private nonprofit agencies, parent groups, religious organizations and community coalitions should be encouraged to work together and with the schools to develop drug-free programs and activities for youth. b. The establishment and support of parent groups should be a priority. 2 . Education Programs a. Schools (from kindergarten through high school) and the board of education must establish and enforcp policies and procedures for students, teachers, administrators, and staff that clearly forbid the sale, distribution, possession, or use of all illicit drugs and alcohol on school property or at school- sponsored functions. Parents, students, and community officials should participate in developing and supporting policies. The following policies and procedures are recommended: • . Prohibiting the promotion, use or selling of any illegal substance (including alcohol, which is illegal for persons under the age of 21) at . school, on school property, or at school- sponsored functions. . Developing a clear, strong, and consistent response for any violation. . Reporting use or suspected use of drugs by students to parents and to law enforcement officials. . Helping law enforcement officials get involved in identifying and resolving the problem. . Using school or other facilities for student _ support groups. 2 . Enlisting the participation of students who are respected by their peers in school programs to prevent illegal drug use. . Providing alternative education arrangements for students who are removed from school because of drug- or alcohol-related offenses. . Ensuring that teachers, administrators, and other staff are neither abusers of alcohol nor users of illegal drugs. . Providing a system of intervention and referral services for students, faculty, and other staff. . Establishing methods to measure illicit drug and alcohol use among students at the school, and to evaluate the success of policies and procedures. b. Schools should be an active part of "community-wide" efforts to end the use of illegal drugs. c. Ithaca College and Cornell University should adopt firm, clear, and strongly enforced "no use" drug policies encompassing all members of the college community. 3 . Enhanced Criminal Justice Efforts a. The training and education of criminal justice personnel in drug-related matters should be dramatically improved. b. Judges should recognize all persons (adult and juveniles) found guilty of drug trafficking as serious offenders and sentence them accordingly. c. The Ithaca Police Department must continue its efforts to develop and implement programs to reduce the demand for illicit drugs in the schools and throughout the community. d. All law enforcement agencies should adopt aggressive street-level enforcement of antidrug laws. 4 . Treatment Programs a. The Council should look at current treatment programs and determine what should be done to improve them and increase the number of persons who can be served. 3 b. All sources of local , state and federal funding must be thoroughly researched. 5 . The Workplace a. Every private and public workplace should have a strong antidrug work policy that covers every employee. b. Labor unions and employee associations should promote a drug-free life-style among their membership and in their communities. c. Businesses, government and labor must work together to create meaningful jobs for our young people. 6 . The Media a. Every segment of the media should establish a comprehensive public campaign against illicit drug use. b. Local media should work closely with community leaders and citizen groups to combat the use of • illicit drugs. c. Student-run media, including high school newspapers and college print and broadcast outlets, should actively disseminate accurate information about illicit drug use. It is my hope that as we move forward to form a Community Drug Abuse Council , everyone in the community will be encouraged to offer suggestions and support for the Council 's work. If we all work together toward a solution of this problem, we will make Ithaca a better place in which to live and work. 4 p,r1 k):d/leXAV— Report of the Ad Hoc Intermunicipal Substance Abuse Committee June 3, 1990 History In 1989, there was great concern in many parts of Tompkins County about a broad array of community problems connected to the use and abuse of drugs, both legal and illegal . Street sales of cocaine, whiskey vending machines in hotel rooms, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and substance abuse-linked infant mortality, anti- smoking legislation, drunk driving, cocaine-linked violence, abuse of prescription drugs, and parents' fears about teenagers use of alcohol and illegal substances were among the many concerns that were and still are on the public's mind. Public attention to these and similar issues prompted several important but, unfortunately uncoordinated events. Mayor John Gutenberger and Police Chief Harlin McEwen called a public meeting about substance abuse. Chief McEwen announced the Ithaca Police Department' s new D.A.R.E. program to educate secondary school students about substance abuse. The mayor appointed a number of members to a Community Substance Abuse Council , which he asked Walter Poland to chair. Thereafter, Ben Nichols was elected mayor. Meanwhile, Tompkins County Focus, sponsored by Tompkins County, the City of Ithaca, United Way and the Human Service Coalition, completed a county-wide needs assessment, and identified substance abuse as one of five top priority human service needs in Tompkins County. Focus named Clarence Reed to chair a task force to develop an action plan on substance abuse. Meanwhile, the Ithaca School District was concerned about substance abuse related problems in the schools. New School Superintendent James Lorthridge asked Gary Buchner to chair a School District committee on substance abuse. The Ad Hoc Intermunicipal Substance Abuse Committee (AHIMSAC) was appointed early in 1990 by Mayor Ben Nichols and Board of Representatives Chair James Mason to ensure that everyone involved in confronting these community problems was working together. AHIMSAC has met three times since March. What we learned There are already a large number of organizations and agencies in Tompkins County that are concerned with substance abuse issues, among them the Alcoholism Council , BOCES, the County Mental Health Board, Stop DWI , Alpha House, the Cancer Society, law enforcement agencies, schools and more. Any new steps in the substance abuse field should be based on and carefully coordinated with existing efforts, and should not be based on a deficit model of existing services. These substance abuse programs seem to exist in four separate networks: 1 ) Police and law enforcement agencies, 2) secondary schools, 3) colleges and 4) human service and mental health organizations. The organizations in each of the four networks appear to have much better communication with others in their own network than with organizations in the other three. There should be greater efforts at coordinated planning and information sharing, particularly between networks. To our knowledge, no one has done a broad assessment of substance abuse needs in Tompkins County that incorporates all four service networks. This would be desirable to identify clearly what areas may have been overlooked, or may need more attention, and how we can develop better coordination of services. We were particularly concerned with the need for programs focusing on substance abuse prevention and education, as well as counseling and treatment programs. It was suggested that there may be a need to expand services in these areas, and that metaphors of community healing may be more appropriate than a "war" on drugs. There appears to be community support for an organization to press for enhanced substance abuse services. The need is all the greater with the departure of PARKIT. Many members of the community welcomed the news that Mayor Gutenberger and Focus had taken action. They are waiting, perhaps patiently, for news of what steps this community is going to take in this area. Action AHIMSAC encourages Walter Poland and Clarence Reed to go forward with creating a citizen' s advocacy group, for now named, somewhat awkwardly, the Intermunicipal Substance Abuse Committee ( ISAC) . In June, they will call together everyone with interest in either Mayor Gutenberger' s Community Drug Abuse Council or Focus' Substance Abuse Task Force, plus any other interested members of the public, hopefully including PARKIT alumni. ISAC will be, at least for now, a fully private citizens organization. The members of AHIMSAC have agreed to meet periodically, perhaps three times a year, to be an informal steering committee for ISAC, and to continue the intermunicipal dialogue we have begun. Meanwhile, AHIMSAC is circulating a brief needs assessment survey to local agencies and organizations. It asks each of more than two dozen groups to provide statistics they already have on hand, and a brief assessment of community trends and needs. The newly formed ISAC will collect the responses to this survey, and use them to begin a process of assessing Tompkins County' s substance abuse related needs. ISAC can then develop its recommendations, which might include recommending improvements in the existing service system, or seeking newly available state or federal grant dollars, or new local funding for substance abuse programs. ISAC will study how best to achieve improved coordination of services, and may recommend formal local government sponsorship of ISAC at some point in the future. Any recommendations would be presented to the appropriate governmental bodies to review. Recommendations and thanks AHIMSAC unanimously urges Ithaca Common Council and the Tompkins County Board of Representatives to approve resolutions welcoming the creation of ISAC as a private citizens organization, inviting ISAC to go forward to study these issues in more depth, and to make needed recommendations. The members of AHIMSAC all appreciated the opportunity to bring representatives of so many constituencies together, and to learn first hand how little we knew of the activities in each other's territories. Our thanks to Mayors Nichols and Gutenberger, and County Board Chair Mason for bringing us together, and to Jean Frandsen for her excellent assistance. The Members of AHIMSAC Gary Buchner, Principal , DeWitt Middle School ; Chair, Ithaca School District Substance Abuse Committee. John Johnson, Common Council , City Human Services Committee Chair. Eric Lerner, Board of Representatives; Mental Health Board Substance Abuse Subcommittee; Chair of AHIMSAC. Harlin McEwen, Ithaca Chief of Police. Walter Poland, Dean of Students, Tompkins-Cortland Community College; Chair, Mayor Gutenberger's Community Drug Abuse Council . Frank Proto, Board of Representatives; Chair, Health and Education Committee. Clarence Reed, Cornell School of Human Ecology Human Services Department; Chair, Tompkins County Focus, Substance Abuse Task Force. Nancy Schuler, Board of Representatives, County Public Safety Committee; Chair, County Alternatives to Incarceration and Criminal Justice Advisory Board; Stop DWI Advisory Board. i l41111, \:) ;u! ,a G1119t1 _ (-ij , c, \v\ L ',— ----,. . vk \\J\ — q* ,_ - ,----714 )) ; ..., �_, --1 1,)1 DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION PRESENTED BY ITHACA POLICE DEPARTMENT HARLIN R. MCEWEN, CHIEF OF POLICE IN COOPERATION WITH ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT DR. JAMES E. LORTHRIDGE, SUPERINTENDENT AND THE ROTARY CLUB OF ITHACA 1'^rrPOLIC 4^ 1 ', (0) NY O ''',..1‘,!" Project DARE Drug Abuse Resistance Education In response to the mounting concern about the use of drugs by youth, the Ithaca Police Department in cooperation with the Ithaca City School District and the Rotary Club of Ithaca is implementing Project DARE, an exciting approach to preventing substance use among school children. Project DARE is a substance use prevention education program designed to equip elementary school children with skills for resisting peer pressure to experiment with tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. This unique program, which was developed in 1983 as a cooperative effort by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District, uses uniformed law enforcement officers to teach a formal curriculum to students in a classroom setting. Project DARE gives special attention to the fifth grade to prepare students for entry into junior high and high school, where they are most likely to encounter pressure to use drugs. DARE lessons focus on four major areas: 1. Providing accurate information about tobacco, alcohol, and drugs 2. Teaching students decision-making skills 3. Showing students how to resist peer pressure 4. Giving students ideas for alternatives to drug use This innovative program has several noteworthy features: DARE targets elementary school children. Junior high and high school drug education programs have come too late to prevent drug use among youth in the past. Therefore, substantial numbers of young people have reported initiating use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana by junior high school. DARE offers a highly structured, intensive curriculum developed by health education specialists. A basic precept of the DARE program is that elementary school children lack sufficient social skills to resist peer pressure and say no to drugs. DARE instructors do not use the scare tactics of traditional approaches that focus on the dangers of drug use. Instead, the instructors work with children to raise their self-esteem, to teach them how to make decisions on their own, and to help them identify positive alternatives to tobacco, alcohol, and drug use. The curriculum addresses learning objectives in keeping with those of state departments of education and conforms with health education standards. DARE uses uniformed law enforcement officers to conduct the class. Uniformed officers as DARE instructors not only serve as role models for children at an impressionable age, but also have high credibility on the subject of drug use. Moreover, by relating to students in a role other than that of law enforcement,officers develop a rapport that promotes positive attitudes toward the police and greater respect for the law. DARE represents a long-term solution to a problem that had developed over many years. Many people believe that, over time, a change in public attitudes will reduce the demand for drugs. DARE seeks to promote that change. Equally important, DARE instructors help children develop mature decision-making capabilities that they can apply to a variety of situations as they grow up. 1 Why You Should Support Project DARE America has a drug problem. It is a problem that exacts an enormous toll in human suffering, in the expenditure of public monies, and, more importantly, in the enormous waste of human potential. It is a festering problem whose solution has so far eluded us. Despite urgent warnings from parents, educators, and the mass media, many of our nation's young people experiment with and use a variety of harmful substances, including tobacco,drugs, and alcohol. An annual survey of high school seniors conducted for the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that, in 1985, only 8 percent of students had never used alcohol, and only 31 percent had never smoked cigarettes. Over two-thirds of those seniors reported use of at least one illicit substance, with over one half (54%) having used marijuana. Children as young as age 9 report that marijuana is "easy to get." Until recently, law enforcement strategies have focused on the supply side of the drug problem, with millions of dollars spent each year to control the distribution and sale of illicit drugs. Despite the confiscation of tons of narcotics, and despite thousands of arrests, the drug trade continues to flourish. Law enforcement experts now recognize that the problem of substance use must be addressed by stemming demand,especially among young people who might become tomorrow's drug users. A recent report issued by the Commission on Organized Crime concludes that the only way to significantly reduce the drug problem in the United States is through eliminating the demand for drugs. School children must be educated to recognize the dangers of drug use and to resist both the subtle and the direct pressures on them to experiment with and use drugs. Arresting Demand: The Development of Project DARE In 1983, Chief Daryl Gates of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) recognized that, to prevent substance use among children, he would need the cooperation of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Under Chief Gate's direction, the LAPD collaborated with Dr. Harry Handler, Superintendent of LAUSD, to launch a drug use prevention education program that employs law enforcement officers in elementary classrooms as regular instructors. A review of existing substance use curricula by Dr. Ruth Rich, a health education specialist from LAUSD, showed that lessons concentrating on techniques for resisting peer pressure, on self- management skills(decision-making,values clarification,and problem solving),and on alternatives to drug use appeared to have the greatest degree of success. These methods were incorporated into the DARE curriculum, challenging students to consider the consequences of their actions and involving them in classroom exercises that gave them the opportunity to practice what they had learned. During Project DARE's first year, 1983-84, ten officers taught the new curriculum to more than 8,000 students in 50 Los Angeles elementary schools. Subsequently, the DARE program, which originally targeted senior-level elementary students (fifth- or sixth-grades), was expanded to include a junior high curriculum and lessons for grades K-4. By 1986, the program had grown to reach all 345 elementary and 58 junior high schools in the city. 2 Based on this success, Chief Gates invited other jurisdictions to send officers to Los Angeles for 80 hours of intensive DARE training. Officers from 49 states have now learned how to bring the DARE curriculum to the children in their communities. The excitement about Project DARE continues to grow. The Department of Defense plans to establish DARE in all of its schools for military dependents. New Zealand has implemented DARE in association with its law-related education program. Other countries,including Canada,Australia and American Samoa have implemented Project DARE in their schools as well. There are now a Spanish version and a Braille translation of the student workbook used in the classroom. Strategies have also been developed for teaching DARE to hearing-impaired and other special needs students. Project DARE in N.Y. State and Ithaca April 8, 1987-Chief Daryl Gates of the Los Angeles Police Department was the keynote speaker at the Annual New York State Governor's Crime Prevention Conference in Albany. Over 200 police crime prevention officers and civilians involved with crime prevention efforts throughout the state heard Chief Gates tell about Project DARE. Harlin McEwen (Ithaca Police Chief)was then Deputy Commissioner of the N.Y. Division of Criminal Justice Services and Director of the Bureau for Municipal Police which conducted the Conference. McEwen arranged for Gates to come to Albany to make his presentation on Project Dare. Gates and McEwen had become friends when both previously served as members of the Executive Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Although several police agencies in New York State had already implemented the DARE Program, the presentation by Chief Gates sparked many more to implement the program. April, 1989 - John W. Herritage, Deputy Commissioner of the N.Y. State Division of Criminal Justice Services and Director of the Bureau for Municipal Police, announced that the Bureau for Municipal Police had formally accepted responsibility for providing, coordinating, and administering the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program at the State level. At the same time,a small amount of funding was obtained to present DARE Officers' Instructor Training in New York State. March 30, 1989 - The New York State DARE Officers' Association was formed at a meeting conducted at Syracuse. At that time, a director and executive board was elected and since then, by-laws have been instituted. Sgt. Robert Tassone of the Syracuse Police Department is the current director. Approximately 17 police departments in New York State had implemented DARE programs up until this time. They included Albany, Binghamton, Carmel, East Aurora, Eden, Hamburg,lrondequoit,Mt.Kisko,Peekskill,Port Chester,Putnam Valley, Rochester,Schenectady, Sidney, Suffolk County, Syracuse and Webster. April 26, 1989 - Lt. Governor Stan Lundine and Commissioner/Director of Criminal Justice John Poklemba formally announced a commitment to support and expand Drug Abuse Resistance Education throughout New York State. This was at a meeting for Rotary District Governors from throughout New York State. At the same time, the District Governors reiterated their support for DARE and made a commitment to involve as many local clubs as possible. May 1, 1989-The New York State DARE Advisory Council was formed. In addition to promoting unity and providing a support network, this Council was formed to assist in addressing policy matters, to assure credibility and integrity, and to assure input by virtually every group directly or indirectly involved in this effort. Members include: 3 Mr. Joseph Dominelli - Executive Director, NYS Association of Chiefs of Police Mr. Peter Kehoe - Counsel/Executive Director, NYS Sheriffs' Association Mr. Edward Guzdek - President, Police Conference of New York Honorable Karen Johnson - Mayor, City of Schenectady Ms. Grace Stevens - NYS Education Department Mr. John Bennett - Executive Director, NYS Council of School Superintendents Mr. Thomas Hobart - President, NYS United Teachers Ms. Kathleen Coughlin - NYS Division of Substance Abuse Services Dr. Robert Blotner - Coordinator, CUNY Substance Abuse Prevention Programs Sgt. Robert Tassone (Syracuse PD) - Director, NYS DARE Officers' Association Mr. Alexander Courtney - Past District Governor, Rotary International The DARE Advisory Council has already met on two occasions and has already accomplished a great deal. It is expected that meetings will be held quarterly. May 1, 1989 -At the request of Chief McEwen, Helena Spring, Director of Elementary Programs and Special Projects for the Ithaca City School District submitted a letter indicating support for an Ithaca Police Officer to be trained in the DARE Program in anticipation of implementation of DARE in Ithaca. Investigator William G. Finnerty, Jr. of the Ithaca Police Department was selected for the training and his application for training submitted to the N.Y. State Bureau for Municipal Police. Unfortunately, a training school scheduled for June was over enrolled and he was not able to attend. June 5-16, 1989 -The first DARE Instructor Seminar conducted in New York State was held at Saratoga Springs. As a result of this joint effort between the Illinois State Police (DARE Bureau) and the Bureau for Municipal Police, 37 officers and deputy sheriffs from throughout New York State were trained and certified. This session brought the total number of DARE officers in New York State to 76 (39 officers had previously been trained outside of New York). June 6, 1989 -Chief McEwen, a member of the Rotary Club of Ithaca, along with Rotary District Governor elect David G. Flinn, John Delaney-Superintendent of the Trumansburg Central School, Les Graves-Principal of Ithaca High School and Robert Holt of the Ithaca FBI office attended a meeting of the Drug Abuse Resistance Committee of Rotary District 717 in Norwich. Wayne Alford, the Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation spoke along with Chief William Carlos and Detective Gary Murray of the Putnam Valley Police Department. The Rotary commitment to support implementation of DARE throughout District 717 was formulated at this meeting. July 20, 1989 -Chief McEwen met with Dr. James E. Lorthridge, the new Superintendent of the Ithaca City School District to obtain his support in implementing the DARE Program in the Ithaca City School District. Dr. Lorthridge indicated he was already familiar with DARE having been involved previously with it in California and offered his enthusiastic support for its implementation in Ithaca. August 31, 1989-Chief McEwen met with the Community Service Committee of the Rotary Club of Ithaca and obtained a firm financial commitment for the Rotary Club to provide the necessary support materials to implement DARE in the City of Ithaca fifth grade classes starting in January. September 14, 1989-Governor Mario M.Cuomo proclaimed DARE Day throughout New York State in conjunction with national and local DARE Days. The official proclamation was read at a joint ceremony with the Albany Police Department conducted at Philip Schuyler Elementary School in Albany. September 10-22, 1989-Investigator Finnerty attended a DARE training course sponsored by the Connecticut State Police, Meriden, Ct. and upon completion of the training was certified as a DARE officer. 4 October 10, 1989-Chief McEwen and Investigator Finnerty met with Helena Spring and Jan Desch of the Ithaca City School District and finalized a plan to present the DARE Program to all 5th Grade Teachers in the City of Ithaca in order to identify those teachers who wished to participate in an initial DARE program starting in January, 1990. October 11, 1989-Chief McEwen along with Special Agent Robert Holt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation presented a program on Drug Abuse at the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Ithaca at the Ramada Inn, Ithaca. An overview of the DARE program was presented. November 17, 1989 - A second instructor seminar was conducted at Saratoga Springs by the Bureau for Municipal Police with forty participants. Through a joint effort with the Illinois State Police (DARE Bureau),the Bureau for Municipal Police will be administering a third DARE Instructor Seminar to be conducted from March 12-23, 1990 in Saratoga Springs, New York. At the conclusion of the March, 1990 DARE Instructor Seminar, there will be over 150 • certified DARE officers in New York State. It is estimated that this will increase the number of school children receiving DARE by approximately 300-400%during the 1990-1991 school year(as compared to the 1988-1989 school year). Program Goals and Objectives Goal: To prevent substance use among school children. The DARE program targets children before they are likely to have been led by their peers to experiment with tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. By reaching children at an age when they are most receptive to drug prevention education, Project DARE seeks to prevent adolescent drug use and to reduce drug trafficking by eliminating the demand for drugs. Objectives: 1. To equip elementary and junior high students with the skills for recognizing and resisting social pressures to experiment with alcohol, tobacco, and drugs 2. To help students develop self-esteem 3. To teach positive alternatives to substance abuse 4. To develop students' skills in risk assessment and decision making 5. To build students' interpersonal and communications skills Project DARE achieves these objectives by training carefully selected veteran law enforcement officers to teach a structured, sequential curriculum in the schools. An important by-product of Project DARE is the positive impact of uniformed law enforcement officers, working in classrooms in a nonthreatening, preventive role, upon the image of law enforcement in the community. 5 A Program That Works: Evaluation Results Evaluations of Project DARE in Los Angeles reveal great enthusiasm for the program among school principals and teachers who saw that DARE students are less accepting of substance use and better prepared to deal with peer pressure as a result of the DARE lessons. Moreover, these educators find that, because DARE students get to know police officers in a positive, nonpunitive role, they have a greater respect for both the law and law enforcement personnel. Beyond that, students receiving the DARE curriculum in elementary school show greater improvement, compared with non-DARE students, in grades for work habits and cooperation during their first semester in junior high. A short-term evaluation for the National Institute of Justice also demonstrates the impact of Project DARE on the knowledge,attitudes,and self-reported behavior of seventh-grade students who receive DARE in the sixth grade. These students, compared with those who had not had DARE, indicated significantly lower substance use since graduation from the sixth grade. Moreover, DARE students,when asked to imagine friends pressuring them to use drugs or alcohol, were significantly less likely to indicate acceptance of the offer that were non- DARE students. DARE students were also more likely to use effective refusal strategies emphasized by the DARE curriculum. In 1985, Los Angeles initiated a seven-year study of DARE and non-DARE students to assess the ; long-term impact of the program on students' knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported drug use. Key Program Elements To implement DARE effectively, specific elements are essential: Joint Planning DARE requires the investment and collaboration of both law enforcement and education agencies. Both education and law enforcement agencies must be involved early in planning for implementation. Many issues are likely to arise during the planning period: Will school and police administrators have difficult working together? Schools and police have different administrative styles and are not commonly accustomed to working together. Communities find, however, that a structured program and a mutual commitment to preventing substance use among young people provide strong motivation for pursuing this cooperative effort. Will there be resistance in the education community to a law enforcement presence in the classroom? Police officers are usually viewed as law enforcers, not as teachers. However, DARE officers are well-trained, committed individuals who quickly prove their effectiveness as classroom teachers. When teachers and administrators observe individual officers instructing individual classrooms, resistance evaporates. Are there other school-based programs currently in use or being introduced to combat adolescent drug use? A long-standing concern about substance use has generated many approaches to prevention education. School systems must choose among many curricula and allocate their limited resources effectively. Other educators or health specialists may be committed to another approach and may not recognize how DARE can fit into the total health program. To meet these legitimate concerns, proponents of competing programs should be invited to participate in the planning process. 6 How can Project DARE fit into an already full classroom schedule? Schools are concerned that the teaching of basic skills may be neglected as the demands increase to address other topics of social concern. The DARE curriculum, which was developed by health education specialists, is multifaceted, emphasizing basic skills that students must learn to make reasoned choices for good health. Moreover, DARE incorporates the application of language arts into many of its lessons. Some programs have identified ways in which the DARE curriculum meets learning objectives established by the State Department of Education. Can the law enforcement department afford to reassign officers to classroom duty? Each veteran officer on patrol is important in the fight against crime. Administrators, therefore, need to decide whether assigning an officer to Project DARE is worth the cost of a reduced presence on the street. Law enforcement administrators in hundreds of jurisdictions, having recognized the limitations of past approaches to our nation's drug problems, have determined that it is. One officer instructor can serve as many as ten elementary schools or up to 40 classes per year. Consequently, small law enforcement departments, which may have special concerns about the time required for DARE implementation, will find that an officer can work part-time as a DARE instructor with the balance of the officer's time being devoted to other departmental activities. Agreement Between Law Enforcement and Education Implementation of DARE requires a partnership between law enforcement and education systems. An agreement between law enforcement and school officials demonstrates each agency's commitment to Project DARE and defines their respective roles. This agreement generally includes: 1. A statement of their mutual commitment to implement DARE as a strategy to prevent substance use among children 2.The law enforcement role:to assign in non-law enforcement role qualified officers who will teach the DARE curriculum in the schools 3. The school role: to provide classroom time for lessons, coordinate scheduling, and encourage teachers to support and reinforce classroom activities 4. Program scope: the grade(s) to be targeted and the number of schools and students to be reached 5. Specification of the agency responsible for providing such resources as student workbooks and films 6. Specification of the agency responsible for program oversight 7. Procedures for regular communication between the two agencies Officer Selection The high quality of the officer instructors is the keystone of the DARE program. Officers must volunteer for the program on the basis of a solid commitment to preventing substance use among young people and must have a clean record, a minimum of two years street experience, maturity, and good communication and organizational skills. 7 Officer Training Training for DARE officers consists of an intensive two-week (80 hour) seminar jointly presented by law enforcement and education agencies. Several states now offer DARE officer training, using a format developed and certified by the Los Angeles Police Department. To maintain the integrity of the DARE program, it is essential that officers be trained by certified agencies. The DARE training curriculum includes: 1. An overview of current drug use prevention activities 2. Communication and public speaking skills 3. Learning methodology and classroom behavior management 4. School/police relationships 5. Police/parent relationships 6. Stages of adolescent chemical dependency 7. Auiiiovisual techniques and other teaching aids 8. Sources of supplementary funding The most important component of the training is the modeling of each lesson by experienced DARE officers (or "mentors"). Each trainee then prepares and teaches one lesson to fellow trainees, who play the role of fifth- or sixth-graders, and who subsequently evaluate the officer's performance. Mentors advise and support trainees throughout the training, by helping them prepare for presentations and offering suggestions for improvement. Training sites also provide orientation sessions for law enforcement and education administrators. These sessions provide an opportunity for managers to discuss organizational issues associated with DARE implementation and to review forms and systems for monitoring and record-keeping. Core Curriculum The DARE core curriculum targets fifth-grade elementary school students who will be graduating into junior high at the end of the year. The curriculum consists of seventeen 45- to 60-minutes lessons to be conducted by the DARE officer on a weekly basis. The lessons are structured, sequential, and cumulative. They employ a wide range of teaching strategies that emphasize student participation, including question-and-answer, group discussion, and role-play activities. The curriculum is designed to equip students with skills for recognizing and resisting peer influences and other pressures to experiment with substances. In addition to building refusal skills, the lessons focus on the development of self-esteem , risk assessment and decision- making skills, interpersonal and communication skills, critical thinking, and the identification of positive alternatives to substance use. A listing of the 17 DARE lessons appears on Page 12-13 of this brochure. The DARE curriculum is available only to those officers who have completed certified training. 8 Classroom Instruction Typically, officers are assigned to each school for a full day. Thus, one officer can serve up to five schools per week per semester, or ten schools in a two-semester school year. Officers are to be regarded as members of the school faculty. This means that, while at school as DARE instructors, they can be called upon to act in a law enforcement role ONLY in an emergency. Informal Officer/Student Interaction In addition to their formal classroom teaching, DARE officers spend time on the playground, in the cafeteria, and at student assemblies to interact with students informally. They may organize a soccer match, play basketball, or chat with students over lunch. In this way students have an opportunity to become acquainted with the officer as a trusted friend who is interested in their happiness and welfare. Students occasionally tell the officer about problems such as abuse, neglect, alcoholic parents, or relatives who use drugs. The officer refers these cases to the school principalor to appropriate resources in the community. Teacher Orientation The officer needs the support and understanding of classroom teachers to function effectively in the classroom. The DARE officer provides an in-service orientation for teachers at the beginning of the school year to familiarize them with the DARE curriculum, explain their respective roles, and identify ways they can cooperate in effectively communicating DARE's objectives to the students. Classroom teachers are expected to stay in the classroom during the DARE instruction. Because they know the students well, teachers can share with the officers ways to handle classroom behavior. Frequently they assist with organizing role-play exercises, seeing that students complete their homework, or providing lessons during the week to reinforce the DARE officer's teaching. To encourage such involvement, the curriculum contains extended activities that teachers may choose to introduce. Parent Education Evening The cooperation and understanding of parents are essential to any substance use prevention effort. During the semester, parents are invited to an evening session at which the DARE officer explains the DARE program, describes ways to improve family communications and to recognize and respond to symptoms of substance use in their children, and provides information about available counseling resources. Some communities report that enthusiastic parents have organized follow-up informational drug prevention activities as a result of these DARE officer-led parent education evenings. Community Presentations Police, educators, and others committed to fhe success of this effort need to ensure that the program is visible and widely accepted. Meeting with groups representing all segments of the community,including parents and civic groups,community-based organizations,housing projects, and local businesses, promotes the level of community understanding and support that is essential for DARE's successful implementation. 9 Community support may also help to ensure program continuity if a scarcity of resources threatens to interrupt program activities. Community service organizations frequently supplement program resources by paying for student workbooks or by providing student T-shirts, bumper stickers, or other promotional materials that demonstrate the community's commitment to substance use prevention. This kind of support reinforces for students the importance of saying no to drugs. What Are The Costs and Who Will Pay? Personnel One full-time law enforcement officer for every ten elementary schools. The cost of reassigning a law enforcement officer is generally borne by the law enforcement agency. In some communities, the school department pays the officer's salary or shares the cost with the law enforcement agency. Program coordinator. Unless a program is very large, the coordinator generally holds another position, such as school health education coordinator or police community relations • officer. Other Costs Officer training. While the Los Angeles Police Department has provided training to the majority of DARE officers, several states have also developed training capacities. This training is generally offered at no charge, but communities sending officers must pay travel, lodging, and meal costs, which may be paid from school or law enforcement budgets. In some communities, service clubs underwrite the cost. DARE curriculum. The curriculum supplied by the Los Angeles Unified School District is only released to communities with officers who have been trained to teach DARE. DARE workbook. A workbook, approximately 35 pages long, must be printed for each student who participates in the core fifth-grade curriculum. Depending on the quality of the cover and the number of copies produced, costs range from $1 to $6 per student. The cover and printing costs can be paid by the school department,the law enforcement agency, a local service organization, or a bank or other local business. Films. The film "Drugs and Your Amazing Mind" is used for the lesson introducing students to the impact of harmful substances. The film "Sons and Daughters-Drugs and Booze:" is shown at the parent education evening. Total cost for both films is approximately $900. These films may be paid for by the law enforcement agency, the school department, or a local private funding source, such as a service organization, bank, or other business. Handouts. Officers need to photocopy handouts for students,for teacher orientation, and for parent meetings. DARE officers generally use photocopying machines at the school or in their own agency. Classroom supplies. Classrooms presentations are frequently more interesting to students when there are visual displays. Many DARE officers make posters or transparencies for selected lessons. Supplies may be provided by school departments or donated by local school suppliers. 10 Promotional materials. The distribution of brochures,T-shirts, buttons,or bumper stickers enhances support for any program. In many communities, service organizations willingly donate these kinds of items. Money for DARE activities has come from many different sources. Because substance use prevention education for young people is a high priority in many communities, local revenues are often allocated to cover personnel and supplies. 11 DARE Lessons The DARE curriculum is organized into seventeen classroom sessions conducted by the police officer, coupled with suggested activities taught by the regular classroom teacher. A wide range of teaching activities are used—question-and-answer, group discussion, role-play, and workbook exercises, all designed to encourage student participation and response. The following brief summaries of each lesson capture the scope of the DARE curriculum and show the care taken in its preparation. All of these lessons were pilot tested and revised before widespread use began. 1. Practices for Personal Safety. The DARE officer reviews common safety practices to protect students from harm at home, on the way to and from school, and in the neighborhood. 2. Drug Use and Misuse. Students learn the harmful effects of drugs if they are misused as depicted in the film, "Drugs and Your Amazing Mind". 3. Consequences. The focus is on the consequences of using and not using alcohol and marijuana. If students are aware of those consequences, they can make better informed decisions regarding their own behavior. 4. Resisting Techniques: Ways to Say No. Students rehearse the many ways of refusing offers to try tobacco, alcohol, or drugs—simply saying no and repeating it as often as necessary; changing the subject; walking away or ignoring the person. They learn that they can avoid situations in which they might be subjected to such pressures and can "hang around" with non-users. 6. Building Self-Esteem. Poor self-esteem is one of the factors associated with drug misuse. How students feel about themselves results from positive and negative feelings and experiences. In this session students learn about their own positive qualities and how to compliment other students. 7. Assertiveness: A Response Style. Students have certain rights--to be themselves, to say what they think,to say no to offers of drugs. The session teaches them to assert those rights confidently and without interfering with others' rights. 8. Managing Stress Without Taking Drugs. Students learn to recognize sources of stress in their lives and techniques for avoiding or relieving stress, including exercise, deep breathing, and talking to others. They learn that using drugs or alcohol to relieve stress causes new problems. 9. Media Influences on Drug Use.The DARE officer reviews strategies used in the media to encourage tobacco and alcohol use, including testimonials from celebrities and social • pressure. 10. Decision-Making and Risk-Taking. Students learn the difference between bad risks and responsible risks, how to recognize the choices they have, and how to make a decision that promotes their self-interests. 11. Alternatives to Drug Abuse. Students learn that to have fun, to be accepted by peers, or to deal with feelings of anger or hurt, there are a number of alternatives to using drugs and alcohol. 12 12. Role Modeling. A high school student selected by the DARE officer visits the class, providing students with a positive role model. Students learn that drug users are in a minority. 13. Forming a Support System. Students learn that they need to develop positive relationships with many different people to form a support system. 14.Ways to Deal with Pressures from Gangs. Students discuss the kinds of pressures they may encounter from gang members and evaluate the consequences of the choices available to them. 15. Project DARE Summary. Students summarize and assess what they have learned. 16. Taking a Stand. Students compose and read aloud essays on how they can respond when they are pressured to use drugs and alcohol. The essay represents each student's "DARE pledge." 17. Culmination. In a schoolwide assembly planned in concert with school administrators, all students who have participated in Project DARE receive certificates of achievement. 13