A community police officer has launched a new programme designed to educate Virgin Islands schoolchildren about the dangers of drugs.
The ten-week Drug Abuse Resistance Education programme — known as DARE — is being provided to students from kindergarten to grade six at Willard Wheatley, Enis Adams and Ivan Dawson primary schools, according to the Police Information Office.
Police Constable Zamfir Adams, a trained DARE officer, teaches various topics as part of the initiative: understanding that rules and laws are put in place for safety; saying no to drugs; what to do in an emergency; handling conflict without violence; avoiding gangs; understanding traffic signs and symbols; and others, police said.
Police Commissioner Mark Collins welcomed the effort.
“I am quite happy that PC Adams has thought to implement this new programme in our schools, where future minds are most vulnerable,” he said. “I look forward to getting the community officers involved and expanding to more schools.”
Recently, a competition was held among the three schools to sing the DARE cheer song for a chance to win prizes. The winning school was the Grade Three class at Enis Adams, who received their prize from Mr. Adams on Dec. 7, police said.
Police said they hope to expand the programme to more schools throughout the territory next year.