ENID, OK - Officer Bryan Rios completed Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E., bringing the renowned training back to Enid Public Schools after more than a decade.
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D.A.R.E. is a nation-wide initiative to give students the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence. It has been active since 1983 and EPS joins thousands of other school districts in implementing it in the classroom.
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Rios is excited to get into the classroom with a new role on how to make smart decisions both in school and off campus.
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“With everything going on in the world, kids need this, they need D.A.R.E.,” said Rios. “D.A.R.E. has evolved so much since we were students, focusing on saying no to drugs, but also focusing on healthy living, how to manage stress, how to communicate, and other essential life skills.”
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The curriculum Rios is trained in and will be implementing in EPS fifth grade classrooms is “Keepin’ It Real”. Spanning 10 weeks with Rios visiting a classroom once a week, the classes will focus on making healthy life decisions.
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EPS Chief of Police and Director of Safety and Security, Jason Priest, said he is thrilled to have an officer trained in this program to help students resist peer pressure and live productive lives. He hopes other EPS officers will take the secondary training to serve all ages.
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“The goal is for EPS Campus Police Officers to build positive relationships with students, their parents/guardians and school staff for years to come so that we may better serve the students of EPS,” said Priest. “I’m very proud of Officer Rios and look forward to watching the D.A.R.E. program flourish for years to come in EPS.”
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Rios was a police officer with Enid Police Department for one year before joining the EPS Campus Police Department in January 2020. D.A.R.E. classes will begin in the 2020-2021 school year.
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Photo of Officer Bryan Rios with D.A.R.E mascot, Daren the Lion.
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EPS Campus Police Officer Completes D.A.R.E. Training
