Hull is new D.A.R.E. officer

December 14, 2006

By BEN GARRETT
Independent Herald Editor

HUNTSVILLE — Deputy Troy Hull, a school resource officer with the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, has been named the county’s new D.A.R.E. officer, Sheriff Anthony Lay announced Monday.

Hull, who serves as SRO at Scott High School, graduated a D.A.R.E. training course conducted by the Tennessee Department of Safety on Friday.

The program, conducted by the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s internationally-recognized D.A.R.E. unit, consisted of a two-week course that began at the Sheraton Music City Hotel on November 25 and certified law enforcement officers in the elementary and middle school D.A.R.E. curricula. A total of 22 officers from 20 law enforcement agencies across the state completed the training program.

D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education and is aimed at providing drug education to students.

“The D.A.R.E. program is important in the fight against drug use by young people,” THP Commander Colonel Mike Walker said. “Its success in keeping children and teens away from drugs is recognized across the United States and around the world.”

The D.A.R.E. program is currently in its 24th year, and is taught in all 50 states, as well as 54 foreign countries. Since 1990, THP has conducted dozens of D.A.R.E. training seminars in Nashville. The classes have prepared more than a thousand officers to work with young people on drug education. Currently, D.A.R.E programs are taught in about 80% of all school systems in Tennessee.

“D.A.R.E.’s success proves that early intervention helps keep kids away from drugs,” Tennessee D.A.R.E. Coordinator Leonard Moudy said. “The curriculum is demanding and comprehensive.”

In addition to his duties as D.A.R.E. officer, Deputy Hull will continue to serve as SRO at Scott High.

“Troy is an outstanding asset to our department,” Sheriff Lay said. “He’s great with children and I look very forward to him sharing his knowledge of drugs with our school children.”

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