A drug prevention program, dropped last year, because of RCMP staffing constraints, will be reinstated at Rimbey elementary school.
Sgt. Mark Groves from the Rimbey RCMP said increased call volume and a shortage of staff resulted in the program being cancelled. However, staff levels have increased enough to warrant reintroducing the program.
Groves said Cst. Larissa Shadforth will begin the necessary training in October to teach DARE at the elementary school.
“It (the program) will be provided in the spring semester,” he said.
Groves said DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is a valuable program, which teaches school children to recognize and resist the many direct and subtle pressures put on them to experiment with drugs.
Drug usage continues to be a serious problem in the area and the RCMP continues to uncover several marijuana grow operations and seized cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, magic mushrooms and other illegal narcotics, he said.
“We offer programs such as DARE to the schools in the hopes that it may provide education so we can arm our youth with factual information on illegal drugs so that they are better prepared to make healthy choices.”
To provide information on illegal drug activity call (403) 843-2223 or Crime stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).