Bellefontaine Police Department Celebrates National D.A.R.E. Day

The Bellefontaine Police Department is celebrating National D.A.R.E. Day (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) today (April 21, 2022) with other law enforcement agencies and communities across the United States.

The D.A.R.E. program started in 1983 as a joint effort between the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Schools to help fight the war on drugs.

The Bellefontaine Police Department has had its D.A.R.E. program for 33 years. They started the program in 1989 with Officer Dave Stidam as Bellefontaine Police Department’s first D.A.R.E officer. In 2004, the D.A.R.E. officer was no longer in the schools. However, some D.A.R.E. activities continued in the community with D.A.R.E. Officers Rick Herring and Ed Peters.

In 2014, Police Chief Brandon Standley believed in building relationships with students and community members through the D.A.R.E. programs. Officer Andy Kennedy was named the Bellefontaine Police Department’s next D.A.R.E. officer in 2014. The D.A.R.E. officer and curriculum returned to the Bellefontaine City Schools, and D.A.R.E. continues to grow and be a success today.

Since 1989 Bellefontaine Police Department has had eight different certified D.A.R.E. officers. They have taught the scientifically based D.A.R.E. curriculum to kindergarten through 12th grades at Calvary Christian School and Bellefontaine City Schools. The D.A.R.E. lessons teach about drug abuse and prevention. It also teaches about good decision making, being a good citizen, traffic safety, internet safety, how to communicate, risk-taking, and other personal growth topics. The Bellefontaine schools have large D.A.R.E clubs that sponsor and participate in activities during and after school to promote drug prevention and good choices. D.A.R.E. officers help facilitate Bellefontaine Exchange Club’s Safety Town, D.A.R.E. Camps, and many other police department outreach events every year.