DARE

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)

Founding & Current Classes

The St. John Police Department provides officers to teach DARE and serve as School Resource Officers for Marvin Elementary, Ritenour Middle, and the Ritenour Early Childhood Center. DARE classes are taught at Marvin Elementary as part of a nation-wide effort to reduce drug and alcohol abuse among children and to teach them that there are better ways to deal with conflicts than violence. DARE was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles, California, and has been updated and revised since then. No longer is the program just an officer lecturing from a podium. Today's DARE program includes officer-facilitated work, discussion groups, and role-playing sessions.
DARE Logo
DARE Mid-Sized Vehicle

School Resource Officers (SRO)

The DARE Officer provides SRO services to Ritenour Middle School and Marvin Elementary School. SROs are actively involved in the school. Students can participate in a Junior Police Academy, and receive instruction in some 200 subject areas.

Additionally, our DARE/SRO officers investigate criminal offenses in which the perpetrator is a juvenile as well as those in which the victim is a juvenile. DARE/SRO officers work with teachers, counselors, school administration, Division of Family Services (DFS), patrol officers, and detectives.
DARE Kids Poster with Lion
The duties and functions that are conducted by the DARE/SRO unit are as follows:
  • Conduct classroom presentations when requested.
  • Investigate all child sexual offense cases and child abuse cases.
  • Investigate all juvenile offenses either through self initiated or assisting other officers.
  • Serve as a counselor and mentor to students if needed.
  • Teach a 10 week course of DARE.

Training That the Unit Has Received


  • Child Death and Abuse Investigations
  • Continuing Juvenile Law Updates
  • Fully Certified DARE Instructors
  • School Resource Officer School - Basic and Advanced

Functions & Community Involvement


St. John's Police Scholarship Fund as well as the DARE program are supported by the following events/fundraisers:
  • Annual DARE Golf Tournament
  • Applebee's Grill and Bar Night
  • BS Bar and Grill Night
  • Dodge-ball Tournament