FDLE Dares to Cut the Popular DARE Anti-drug Program

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- The popularity of the DARE anti-drug program for schools extends to the Florida governor's mansion, but that hasn't stopped some officials from recommending that it be removed from the state's budget.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement suggested the annual appropriation of $376,362 be eliminated after Gov. Charlie Crist and legislative leaders asked agencies to propose cuts in their budgets to offset declining state tax revenues.

FDLE officials say they want to drop their role of training local Drug Abuse Resistance Education officers not just to save money, but because national studies show it is ineffective.

"There are more critical services that are directly tied to our mission to prevent, investigate and solve crimes," said FDLE spokeswoman Heather Smith.

The national DARE organization disputes the studies, saying they are outdated and the program has changed to make it more effective. DARE's regional director predicted that losing state support would eventually kill the program in Florida.

Originated in Los Angeles 24 years ago, DARE sends police into middle school classrooms in 75 percent of the nation's school districts, including 60 of Florida's 67.

The officers, including about 600 in Florida, often drive flashy DARE-marked cars sometimes confiscated from drug dealers. They encourage kids to avoid drugs, gangs and violence and resist peer pressure.

School districts and local law enforcement agencies typically share operating costs while FDLE provides five agents to train DARE officers. The agents would be reassigned to other duties if DARE dollars are eliminated, Smith said.

"It's very popular and I've been active in it in the past and I believe in it," Crist said. "If there's any way that we can find to keep it, we certainly would love to do it."

That kind of political support helped the program survive last year, when the Legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability concluded the state could get a better return on its investment by shifting DARE money to other purposes.

The office cited a 2003 U.S. Government Accountability Office analysis of several DARE studies, which concluded the program had "no statistically significant long-term effect on preventing illicit drug use." The U.S. Department of Education and surgeon general also have found DARE to be ineffective.

That has led school districts in some states, including Illinois, California, Michigan, Washington and Wisconsin, to discontinue their DARE programs.

Until now, though, FDLE has backed DARE. The agency declined to do its own study in 2001, even turning down $50,000 appropriated for that purpose. Then-FDLE Commissioner Guy Tunnell opposed the legislative accountability office's recommendation last year.

Commissioner Gerald Bailey has since replaced Tunnell, who resigned amid questions about his handling of an investigation into the death of a teenager who was roughed up by juvenile boot camp guards.

The state's financial situation also is much different. Last year it was flush with cash. Now, officials expect a $1.5 billion shortfall in tax revenues for the current and last budget years, and lawmakers plan to cut the $71 billion state budget next month.

"I'd hate to see DARE go away from the schools," said Rep. Sandy Adams, an Orlando Republican who chairs the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee.

That's what would happen if the training money is eliminated, said DARE America Southeast regional director John Lindsey.

Local programs send officers out of state or to a designated Florida police or sheriff's department for training, but Lindsey said that usually does not work. He said the number of DARE officers in Alabama has dropped from more than 200 to about 30 since state training money there was cut off four years ago.

Adams, though, said she was confident local agencies could assume the training role.

"I really don't believe it's going to do away with our DARE program," she said. "But I'm going to look very closely at it."

Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee Chairman Victor Crist, R-Tampa, said he's withholding judgment because his panel hasn't yet looked at the issue.

The senator, no relation to the governor, acknowledged programs often get money because they are popular though ineffective, but he said agencies also are quick to cut worthy projects that don't directly affect them.

"The Legislature is smart enough to know that," Crist said. "And we look for it."