October 10, 2017
Sheriff’s Benevolent Posse donates $40,000
by Dave Alley
ORCUTT, Calif. – Elementary students in Northern Santa Barbara County are continuing to receive D.A.R.E. education in school thanks to a recent donation by the Sheriff’s Benevolent Posse.
“What it means is the D.A.R.E. program continues on,” said Leslie Avila, (Ret.) Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Deputy and current D.A.R.E. instructor. “Without the generosity of the Posse and other donations, the D.A.R.E. program cannot be funded.”
Budget cuts to the Sheriff’s Office placed the long-running program on the cutting block.
Facing a $5.5 million hit to the budget, Sheriff Bill Brown had no other alternative than to eliminate multi-dimensional education course that teaches important life skills.
“D.A.R.E. gives them good decision making skills,” said Benevolent Posse president Richard Kline.”It’s life decision making skills, so it helps them understand the difference between good and bad, the difference between taking drugs and not taking drugs, the difference between abusing different substances and not different substances.”
With D.A.R.E. facing elimination, the Benevolent Posse recently stepped in and donated $40,000.
Kline emphasized the sizable contribution was important to keeping the course running in schools.