Local group hopes to fill in for IFPD DARE program

The DARE program for Idaho Falls School District 91 is currently suspended due to the Idaho Falls Police Department staff shortage.

The Bonneville Youth Development Council is hoping to run the DARE program for D91 schools, just until IFPD can hire more staff. They say there is a big need in the community for programs such as this.

“We see that DARE, you know, being removed from the schools even for a temporary amount of time can really set us back and we want to prevent that from happening,” said Lezhai Gulbransen, executive director of the Bonneville Youth Development Council.

The BYDC and Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office both say they are seeing a lot of substance abuse and suicide in teens around the community. The BYDC put out a survey through the school districts and found there is a need for the DARE program.

“There’s got to be something before that teaches kids at this DARE level age and the teenage age to kind of know the dangers of those things,” said Sgt. Bryan Lovell, a DARE board member for the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. “Know how to avoid doing those unhealthy things to your body.”

The group hopes to provide facilitators to D91 sixth-grade classes that would be trained by DARE officers. It would still be the same DARE program previously taught. They want to provide facts that will help students make better decisions.

“Without prevention in our community, kids are unaware,” Gulbransen said. “Parents aren’t having the conversation with youth. And the drug and alcohol use is still a big issue here in our community.”

The BYDC has reached out to school District 91, but they have not met yet to discuss the possibility of running the program.

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office runs the DARE program for Bonneville School District 93 and several charter schools.Those programs are still operating.