PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Law Enforcement Academy graduated 25 D.A.R.E. officers from across South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Wisconsin and Nebraska on Friday, June 21, 2019.
The D.A.R.E. officers completed a two-week, 80-hour program. The curriculum encompasses education, techniques, and specific course work.
Upon completion of the training, students are certified as D.A.R.E. officers in South Dakota. This qualifies them to teach drug abuse resistance in elementary schools.
Rebecca Merryfield, of the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Menomonie, Wisconsin, is pictured here receiving her certificate from Tim Bormann, Chief of Staff for the South Dakota Attorney General who also acted as the keynote speaker at the graduation.
“To you new instructors, insure the integrity of D.A.R.E. for years to come and congratulations on this accomplishment,” said Bormann. “Go into our classrooms as the enforcer of laws with the heart of a parent.”
Waylon Eckert of the South Dakota DCI was the seminar supervisor, he was assisted by Jeff Smith of Wisconsin as the facilitator, Jolene Palmer of Nebraska as the educator, and mentors Doug Anderson of Kansas, Amber Johnson of North Dakota, Mike Drexler of Wisconsin, and Kay Moore of Idaho.
The D.A.R.E. training program is directed by the South Dakota Law Enforcement Training Academy under the Office of the Attorney General.
