About 300 fifth-graders graduate the D.A.R.E. anti-drug program for the Spring semester taught by sheriff’s deputies; Sheriff Pohlmann and Maj. Clark stress they must makes the right choices in life

Maj. Chad Clark talks to the assembly.	Sheriff James Pohlmann talks to students and parents at Davies Elementary.
D.A.R.E. essay winners at Gauthier Elementary, from left in front, are Hayven Alexis, Jerzie Douglas and Kayla Billiot. In the back row are Gauthier Principal Lisa Young, D.A.R.E. instructor Sgt. Darrin Miller, Sheriff James Pohlmann, Maj. Chad Clark, Capt. Ronnie Martin and D.A.R.E. program supervisor Lt. Lisa Jackson.	Davies students perform a D.A.R.E. song for their parents and relatives.

About 300 fifth-graders in St. Bernard graduated the D.A.R.E. anti-drug program for the Spring semester, taught by sheriff’s deputies.

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, taught in schools by program supervisor Lt. Lisa Jackson and Sgt. Darrin Miller is aimed at discouraging youngsters from using drugs including tobacco and alcohol or taking part in violence or bullying others.

More han 100 students graduated the program May 13 at Joseph Davies Elementary, about 80 graduated May 11 at Gauthier Elementary and more than 100 graduated May 4 at Lacoste Elementary.

Sheriff James Pohlmann and Maj. Chad Clark spoke to students and a large turnout of relatives at each school, telling the kids they must concentrate on making the right choices to have productive lives, including listening to their parents and teachers and deciding who they should and shouldn’t associate with.

The sheriff praised parents for coming out and encouraged them to continue staying focused on their children, including talking often with them and looking for warning signs to help prevent drug use or be alerted to them actually using drugs.

Educating children early on about the hazards of drug abuse is the best hope to reduce future use and a life tortured by drug addiction and criminal acts to support a drug habit, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

“How do you stop the crime problem,’’ the sheriff asked children and parents. “You’ve got to stop the drug problem,’’ he answered.

The sheriff said the parish jail is filled with people who are there because of drug problems, either because they were arrested with drugs or the need for money to buy drugs led them to get caught stealing or burglarizing, the sheriff said.

Both Sheriff Pohlmann and Maj. Clark said they are opposed to legalizing marijuana, as some have proposed, saying it will only lead to more young people using it. Marijuana remains he mos abused drug in the nation, they said,

Maj. Clark quoted statistics that vehicular fatalities have surged in Washington state since marijuana was legalized for use there, apparently caused by more people driving impaired.

Learn the warning signs of drug use in young people, Sheriff Pohlmann said to parents, including:
– Loss of interest in things they used to do such as sports, dance or reading.
– Hanging around with new groups of friends unknown to parents.
– Sudden changes in attitude, mood swings or type of clothing worn.
– Sudden problems connected with school and academics.

Talk regularly with your children and be familiar with their friends, the sheriff said.

Maj. Clark, commander of the Special Investigations Division including the Narcotics Unit, said it takes the kind of education effort given by Sheriff’s Office drug resistance instructors at parish schools to affect the drug problem in America as well as solid law enforcement to stop drug dealers.

Clark said overdose deaths have been going down in the parish, with three in the last 18 months compared to 12 in the year before that. A combination of factors led to that including law enforcement diligence, education and efforts by paramedics to save lives, Clark said.

The resurgence of the killer drug heroin is concerning law enforcement and health care officials nationwide as young people are increasing their use of the drug, he said.

But Clark also pledged to parents narcotics officers will continue to do their best to rid the parish of drug-dealers.