The department’s D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program is one which many residents are already familiar with. D.A.R.E. is a joint effort between the Hempfield School District and the Police Department and is intended to educate children about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, about ways to resolve conflicts without violence, and methods to effectively deal with peer pressure.

Trained police officers, with the assistance of school staff, provide a course of instruction which is designed to not only educate our children about substance abuse and nonviolent conflict resolution, but also to provide a positive presence within the school and hopefully create a lasting bond between the students and the police.

This instruction is provided to the sixth grade students of Farmdale Elementary School annually.

For more information about the department’s D.A.R.E. program, contact Officer Robert Small at 285-5191.