Sheriff Pohlmann and Maj. Clark tell D.A.R.E. program graduates they must make the right choices in life and use the tools they have been given

Sheriff James Pohlmann speaks to students at Joseph Davies Elementary.

Lacoste Elementary, D.A.R.E. essay winners in front row are Brianne Torres, Austin Cone, Alexys Ford, Emily Gonzalez, Hailey Lobre and Dalilah McKinnies. In back are Lt. Lisa Jackson, Sheriff James Pohlmann, Maj. Chad Clark, Lt. Richard Jacksom, Sgt. Darrin Miller and Capt. Ronnie Martin.

At Lynn Oaks School, D.A.R.E. essay winners in front row are Taylin Naquin, Megan Weiss and Anthony Perez. In back row are Lt. Richard Jackson, Chief Deputy Richard Baumy, D.A.R,E. program coordinator Lt. Lisa Jackson, Maj. Chad Clark and D.A.R.E. instructor Sgt. Darrin Miller.

At Joseph Davies Elementary, from left in front row are Principal Donna Schultz, and DA.R.E. essay winners Blake Allemand, Grace Abba, Avani Miller and Quentin Marshall. In back are Sgt. Darrin Miller, Sheriff James Pohlmann, Maj, Chad Clark and Capt. Ronnie Martin.

Parents video and take photos of students at Lacoste Elementary doing their D.A.R.E. song at the close of the ceremony.

Maj. Chad Clark speaks to students at Lacoste Elementary.

Sheriff James Pohlmann told children graduating the 5th-grade Drug Abuse Resistance Education program 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.

And he praised parents for turning out for graduation ceremonies at schools 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.

Children at Lacoste Elementary, Joseph Davies Elementary and Lynn Oaks were recognized for completing a 12-week program in Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E., taught by instructors from the Sheriff’s Office – a program aimed at trying to keep kids from using drugs including tobacco and alcohol or taking part in violence or bullying others.

If necessary, drug test kits are available at pharmacies to test young people, the sheriff told parents. If there is a problem it is important to rescue them before they become involved in the criminal justice system and end up in prison, the sheriff said.

Maj. Chad 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 and solid law enforcement to stop drug dealers.

“We can’t arrest ourselves out of this problem,’’ Clark said, noting there are more than 100,000 deaths in America each year from drug-related causes, including some in St. Bernard Parish. The resurgence of the drug heroin is concerning law enforcement and health care officials nationwide.

But Clark said overdose deaths have been going down in the parish because of a combination of factors including law enforcement diligence.

Several hundred 5th-grade students graduate each semester from the D.A.R.E. program given by St. Bernard sheriff’s officers Lt. Lisa Jackson, commander of the program, and Sgt. Darrin Miller. The D.A.R.E. program, held in both public and private schools, was re-established in 2009, four years after Hurricane Katrina.

“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 attitude or mood swings.
– Sudden problems connected with school and academics.

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

If parents see signs of possible problems, don’t be hesitant to ask what is happening. “It’s not something they will grow out of and it needs to be addressed,’’ the sheriff said.

Maj. Clark told children they have received the tools they need to begin making right choices. He also said parents can call the SID Division at 271-DOPE (3673) to make an appointment if they want to discuss any particular problem involving their children and drugs.