Police officers have a credibility unmatched by regular classroom teachers. According to many, police officers direct experience working directly with the consequences of drug and alcohol use, violence, gangs and similar issues gave them more credibility to speak about the topic and their message was more powerful because of this credibility. The program provides a working relationship between the school and the police force. One gauge of D.A.R.E. s effectiveness was the fact that these two important community institutions worked together to solve a common problem. It left no ambiguity for students, parents or the rest of the community about how schools and police viewed drugs.
Police officers receive good training and do a good job.
The organization of the D.A.R.E. program translated into well-trained D.A.R.E. officers. Many respondents who had had a positive experience with officers as instructors advocated and appreciated the training they received to teach the D.A.R.E. program, the way they prepared to deliver the curriculum, and their candid commitment to the program. The program has strong support from the community. The majority of the respondents stressed the support that the D.A.R.E. program received from the community. Ninety-two percent believed that the attitude of the community toward D.A.R.E. was generally positive.