A couple of Harwin elementary school classes totaled 29 students, but RCMP Const. Debra Medcke turned them into 5,000.
It was this pair of classes that took Medcke past the 5,000-student threshold in her career as a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) instructor.
The Prince George RCMP officer has been teaching young school kids about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse for the past seven years. Each of those years has taken her to 24 schools and about 700 students, always Grade 5.
Each class gets 12 hours of instruction from Medcke. According to the RCMP's calculations, she is has almost reached 1,800 hours of DARE time and the graduation at Harwin put her past the mark of 5,000 kids who have completed the program.
"It's my passion," said Medcke, a 34-year veteran of the RCMP. She considers her time instructing DARE "as the most enjoyable part of my experience as a police officer... I enjoy the program. Children need the tools to make healthy decisions - DARE provides those tools."
As part of her DARE duties, Medcke has read an essay from nearly all of her students. One essay, she recalls, was written with symbols instead of letters by a student that was not able to speak. Many essays offered personal experiences and almost all generated emotion.
Supt. Eric Stubbs, commander of the Prince George RCMP detachment, said "DARE is an important part of our drug prevention strategy. To have a member with Const. Medcke's dedication and passion for the program is exemplary. The impact that she's had on the lives of thousands of children through the DARE program is immeasurable. I congratulate Const. Medcke's milestone of teaching more than 5,000 students in Prince George."
"Const. Medcke will be recognized for her commitment," said Staff Sgt. Anthony Choy, in charge of the B.C. RCMP's Drugs & Organized Crime Awareness Section. "DARE officers are the most important part of the program and Const. Medcke's commitment to teaching her students over the past seven years is commendable."
DARE To Know Drugs
The Drug Abuse Resistance Education initiative is a comprehensive drug education and prevention program designed to equip school children with the skills to recognize and resist social pressures to experiment with tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.
DARE seeks to establish positive relationships between law enforcement officers, children, teachers, parents and other community members. Students learn a four-step decision making model that emphasizes healthy choices and a take charge attitude.
For more information about the DARE program, visit the RCMP Drug and Organized Crime Awareness Section at www.rcmpda.com. In Prince George, contact Prince George RCMP Community Policing at (250)561-3366.
