School Resource Officers, D.A.R.E.
D.A.R.E Program
The D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program is the largest educational program of its kind in America and the world. D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through fifth grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.
Pictured is Corporal Paul Smilley receiving a youth leadership award from the District Attorney of Fayette County.
D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles and has proven so successful that it is now being implemented in 75 percent of our nation's school districts and in more than 43 countries around the world.
The Peachtree City Police Department has been dedicated to the delivery of the D.A.R.E. program to the city's elementary aged youth since 1993.
Corporal Smiley and Cpl. Lacourly are Peachtree City Police Department's D.A.R.E. officers. Corporal Smiley has been with the department for 13 years and has been involved with the D.A.R.E. program for 11 years.
Our D.A.R.E. program to over 3,000 students at all the elementary schools in Peachtree City every year. The D.A.R.E. officer conducts a ten-week fifth grade program focusing not only on drug prevention but gang awareness, bullying and internet safety. D.A.R.E officers also conduct a four-week third and first grade D.A.R.E. program. These programs concentrate on basic drug awareness, bullying, and vehicle safety.
Corporal Monica Lacourly has been with the department for seven years. This is her fourth year as the School Resource Officer at J.C. Booth Middle. Corporal Lacourly provides presentations to all grade levels regarding various law enforcement course, is actively involved with the mentoring program, serves as a Rainbows facilitator, and is a D.A.R.E. instructor at Peachtree City Elementary. She continues to work effortlessly to make J.C. Booth a safe and positive place for students.
Assigning an officer to the elementary schools allows students to build a positive relationship with a police officer and opens the lines of communication between law enforcement and youth. The D.A.R.E. officer is school resource officer certified and acts as a liaison between the elementary schools and the police department. As the liaison, the D.A.R.E. officer can assist officers with incidents involving elementary-aged children or school faculty.
The D.A.R.E. program is fully funded by the Kiwanis Club of Peachtree City. The Kiwanis club's donations are used to purchase books, medals, certificates, and T-shirts for all fifth grade students who graduate from the D.A.R.E. program. For more information on the department's School Resource Officer or D.A.R.E. program contact Officer Paul Smilley.