DARE COULD RETURN TO JACKSON

Committee Will Decide Whether to Bring Program Back to Schools or Have
Police Develop Their Own

JACKSON TWP. - Township police are evaluating whether the nationally
known DARE program will return to local schools.

A committee of police, teachers, parents and students met last week to
discuss whether the crime prevention curriculum is effective for the
township.

"Does it meet our community's needs?" Police Chief Harley Neftzer
asked.

Police had axed the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in Jackson
Local Schools because of budget cuts. In May, however, voters approved
a new 4.5-mill, five-year levy, and police will reassign an officer to
crime prevention education in the schools in January.

That officer won't follow the DARE curriculum, which is taught in
about 80 percent of U.S. school districts. Instead, the committee will
evaluate DARE and see whether it should return for the 2006-07 school
year or whether police should develop their own program.

"A lot of people in our community are asking about the DARE program
and this (committee) addresses it," Neftzer said.

The DARE curriculum (www.dare.com) constantly is evolving but it can
be strict, the chief said. He noted that over the last year, the
community has faced serious issues of child abductions, Internet
security and students hacking into school computers to change grades.

"We need to hear from the kids about what makes a difference,"
Superintendent Cheryl Haschak said. "I'm anxious to hear what they
have to say."

The committee, made up of 14 people, will continue to meet through the
school year. It probably will create a survey for students and
residents for additional feedback, Neftzer said.