SMSO deputy is new D.A.R.E. graduate

Baton Rouge – After an intensive two weeks of training in Baton Rouge, Deputy Troy Dupuis became the new D.A.R.E. officer for the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The training encompassed team building exercises, lesson plan construction, classroom management, communication skills, along with other areas of instruction.
Each student was assigned a mentor during the 80 hours of training to guide and support them as they proceeded through the program. Senior Cpl. Toby Briggs of the Alexandria Police Department was Deputy Dupuis’ mentor.
A graduation ceremony was held on Aug. 29 honoring those officers throughout the state who graduated from the D.A.R.E. training.
D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. It is taught to 5th and 6th grade students for 10 weeks in St. Martin Parish.
Students are given weekly lessons on how to resist peer pressure and other influences when it comes to tobacco use, drug and alcohol abuse, and social networking.
Once they complete the program and turn in their essays, they have a D.A.R.E. graduation at the end of the semester where they receive their certificates.