D.A.R.E./G.R.E.A.T. PROGRAMS

Welcome to the Stillwater Police Department (SPD) D.A.R.E. and G.R.E.A.T. pages. Our D.A.R.E. and G.R.E.A.T. Officer, Ed Boese, has plenty in store for everyone as we develop our web site. But for now, we'd like to give everyone a little background information to let all of you know a bit more about these two programs and what they have to offer.

D.A.R.E. is an acronym for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. The original D.A.R.E. program was created by two uniformed police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department in 1983. (SPD began its D.A.R.E. program in 1988). The purpose of this program is to reinforce the positive values that parents teach their children at home about resisting drugs and avoiding violence.

Originally, the D.A.R.E. program was geared toward the 5th and 6th grade curriculum. Now, however, the program has been expanded to include all grades, from kindergarten through High School, and has also incorporated both parenting and summer components.

G.R.E.A.T. stands for Gang Resistance Education and Training. The original G.R.E.A.T. program was created by uniformed police officers of the Phoenix Police Department in 1991. (SPD began its G.R.E.A.T. program in 1994). The purposes of this program are to help young people become responsible members of their communities by setting positive goals for themselves, teach them how to resist peer pressure, provide alternative solutions to successfully resolve conflicts without resorting to violence, and provide an understanding of the negative impact gangs can have on their lives.

Originally, the G.R.E.A.T. program was also geared toward the 5th and 6th grade curriculum. Now, it too has expanded and currently includes the 3rd grade up to the Junior High School level, including its own summer component.

In order to achieve the goals of these two programs, SPD's D.A.R.E. and G.R.E.A.T. Officer received specialized training in presenting all areas of both programs. Furthermore, Officer Boese works closely with other department members, school officials, and many other agencies and departments in order to ensure that information and education remains up-to-date and shared. Thus, Officer Boese is able to customize his presentations in order to meet the particular needs of his audiences. Some of these topics include:

• Introduction to Police Officers
• What is D.A.R.E./G.R.E.A.T.
• Sobriety Tests
• Laws Affecting College Students
• Alcohol Related Situations as a Police Officer
• Youth Gang Prevention
• Drugs, Alcohol, and the Law
• Violence

If you would like more information about the D.A.R.E. and/or G.R.E.A.T. programs, or would like schedule a presentation, contact:

Officer Ed Boese
Stillwater Police Department
P.O. Box 1725
Stillwater, Oklahoma 74076
(405) 742-8319
or email to: DareOfficer@Stillwater.org