FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Contact: Tony Mangan, Communications Director, 605-773-6878
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has recognized the 16 law enforcement officers from four states who graduated from the two-week Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) instructor training held June 12-23 at the state’s Law Enforcement Training Center in Pierre.
“D.A.R.E. is a program where law enforcement officers lead classroom discussion that teach children at all grade levels to resist peer pressure and lead productive lives that are free from harmful drugs and violence,” said Attorney General Jackley. “This course helps the officers fine-tune their teaching skills so they can better communicate with students.”
Participants spent more than 100 hours during the two weeks working on their classroom presentations and speaking skills. The officers also hosted 25 children from the Oahe YMCA for presentations, games, and pizza.
Three mentors and one educator taught the course. Graduation from the class qualifies the officers to teach the D.A.R.E. curriculum in their local schools.
Those graduating from D.A.R.E were Jesse Hellinger, Dickinson, ND Police Department; Matthew Jacobs, Sturgis Police Department; Christina Mangan, Platte County Wyo. Sheriff’s Office; Joshua McElroy, Rapid City Police Department; Boyd Weller, Kearney, NE Police Department; Noah Wiedrich, Aberdeen Police Department; Jake Folk, Milbank Police Department; Mark Green, Burke Police Department; Charles Headley, Bowman ND Police Department; Kayla Richard, Dickinson ND Police Department; Talese Aucoin, Walworth County Sheriff’s Office; Renae Baluska, Platte County Wyo. Sheriff’s Office; Amy Beyl, Watertown Police Department; Matthew Johannsen, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office; Lisa Page, Wahpeton, ND Police Department, and Jeffrey Schmidt, Roberts County Sheriff’s Office.
Dan Satterlee, director of the State Division of Criminal Investigation, was the graduation ceremony speaker.
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