MEMPHIS, Tenn. — ABC24 is seeking solutions to problems in our city. During one of our Let’s Talk community listening sessions, one man shared his thoughts on kids and crime.
He wrote a message that read, in part, “I wish there was a way to de-program children in our community about snitching. People are afraid to speak up because they don’t believe Memphis police will protect them. Where is the D.A.R.E Program?”
That comment made our team think about the relationship between our kids and MPD. The department believes, it’s D.A.R.E Program is designed to build trust between students and officers.
“We have over 1,058 students to complete this program today,” said Lt. Shemeka Love with the Memphis Police Department.
It’s the department’s largest group in 30 years. In this ten-week course, officers went to 18 Memphis Shelby County Schools.
“They were able to talk to the different children about different topics bullying and peer pressure, making the right choices, drugs, alcohol, you name it,” said Lt. Love.
D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. The national program was founded in 1983.
The goal is to keep students on the right path and out of trouble.
In the most recent available data from the Memphis-Shelby County Crime Commission, in 2023, the number of juveniles charges were up 15% compared to 2022. View the numbers here.
Lt. Love believes the solution starts by building relationships, but she knows from experience that’s not always easy.
“It is a challenge going into the schools,” said Lt. Love. “Especially in some of the urban schools, with the climate right now with police officers.”
For some of these students, their first time meeting an officer is in the D.A.R.E Program at school.
Some students are scared. Others lack trust.
Lt. Love argues those challenges can be overcome with consistency and care.
“What we do, they go and they build that trust,” said Lt. Love. “The kids know that if they need anything, they can reach out to these officers.”
12-year-old Ma’Kiyah Sherrod is one of the newest graduates of the D.A.R.E. Program. She’s a 5th grader at Hanley Elementary School.
“They’re here to help you,” said Sherrod. “They’re not trying to harm you.”
It’s the first step in building a bridge to strengthen our community, and it could empower these students to speak up when they need help.
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