DARE officers from around the state are in Shreveport this week for the 26th annual Louisiana DARE Officers Training Conference.
The conference is being hosted by the Northwest District of the Louisiana DARE Officers’ Association (LDOA). Caddo Deputy Latienda Pierre-Davis, a Caddo Sheriff’s DARE officer and president of the LDOA, is presiding over the event. Several educational and networking opportunities will be offered during the week for officers to sharpen their skills and achieve added success with their agencies’ programs.
DARE, which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is a comprehensive K-12 education program taught by law enforcement in thousands of schools in America and 52 other countries. The DARE curriculum addresses drugs, violence, bullying, internet safety, and other high-risk circumstances that often confront children today.
Opening ceremonies for the state conference will be at 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 19, at Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino in the Magnolia Ballroom. Shreveport Mayor Ollie Tyler and Bossier City Mayor Lorenz Walker will welcome guests along with remarks from Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator, Shreveport Police Chief Alan Crump, Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington, and Shreveport City Marshal Charlie Caldwell.
Workshops Wednesday and Thursday will include topics on at-risk youth; internet crime; communicating with hearing impaired students in the classroom; teen runaways; the warning signs of abuse; and updates on the DARE curriculum, drug trends, and fads.
The LDOA Awards Banquet begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 20, in the Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino Ballroom and will recognize LDOA scholarship and essay winners, the DARE Officer and Educator of the Year, the Years of Service recipients, and Lifetime Achievement recipient.
The conference will conclude on Friday with an executive committee meeting and general business meeting.
Photos courtesy of Deputy John Phelan, Caddo Sheriff's Office
DareA: Sachiri Henderson, a student at Youree Drive Middle Magnet, sings the National Anthem at opening ceremonies.
DareB: Caddo Sheriff's Deputy LaTienda Davis, president of the Louisiana DARE Officers' Association, welcomes DARE officers to the 26th annual conference during opening ceremonies this morning.
DareC: Group photo of Louisiana DARE officers attending this week's conference at Sam's Town Hotel and Casino.
