Anti-drug program returning to Beckley schools

Mar. 5—The Beckley Police Department is working to reintroduce a nationally known anti-drug education program into Beckley elementary schools.

During a Raleigh County Board of Education meeting on Feb. 27, school board members approved an agreement with Beckley PD to teach the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program at Beckley Elementary, Crescent Elementary, Maxwell Hill and Stratton Elementary.

Sgt. David J. Bailey, the community service/recruitment officer with Beckley PD, is leading the initiative for the DARE program.

Bailey, a Beckley police officer for 23 years, said he's wanted to see the DARE program return to Beckley schools for some time because of the importance of the program's topics.

"I had DARE when I was in school, and it's kind of been revamped a little bit," he said. "Of course, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education — that's still the main term of it, but it's broadened its outlook ... vaping, self-esteem, bullying and other types of stuff."

Bailey said he wants to start introducing the program into elementary schools first, especially for fourth- and fifth-graders, because elementary schools do not have permanent resource officers.

"I feel like that's where all this kind of starts," he said. "They're going into middle school, and that's a whole different world ... They're young, they're getting peer pressured by other kids, and I just want to give them the knowledge to know what they're going to be facing, how to deal with situations, and to create a positive connection with these kids."

Bailey said the goal is to start the program at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.

Before that can happen, Bailey said he'll need to complete training to become a certified DARE instructor as well as gather the funds needed to purchase supplies for the program, such as workbooks.

Bailey said he is working with a nonprofit out of Mercer County called Community Connections to assist with funding.

Email: jmoore@register-herald.com