Skip to content
Advertisement

Twenty-nine LAPD officers graduate from DARE program

Advertisement

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Twenty-nine Los Angeles police officers graduated today from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program — the LAPD’s first DARE graduation in 10 years — and will soon be assigned to teach fifth- and sixth-graders its life-skills curriculum aiming at preventing youth drug abuse.

In 1983, then-Los Angeles police Chief Daryl Gates implemented the program in the LAPD. Since then, the program, which is a police officer-ledseries of classroom lessons, has expanded to dozens of law enforcement agencies around the country and around the world.

However, a decade ago, the program was scaled back within the LAPD because of budgetary issues.

“Over the years, DARE became one of the principal means for the LAPD to create positive interactions between officers and the community,” LAPD Lt. Don Graham said. “Because of his commitment to youth, Chief Charlie Beck made a conscious decision to renew the original partnership that began the movement.

“As a result, 29 LAPD officers recently receive 80 hours of advanced DARE officer training, and will soon be assigned to various schools throughout the greater Los Angeles region, providing valuable instruction to young people concerning the the best way to live productive lives and make important
contributions to their communities,” Graham said.

Beck was among those attending the graduation ceremony this morning at the Ahmanson Recruit Training Center.

Advertisement

Latest