School Resource Officer Program
In 1994, the Police Department and the Ottumwa Community School District partnered together to establish the School Resource Officer Program. At that time, a police officer was assigned full-time to the high school. The officer's presence helped to reduce the potential for crime-related problems and helped to provide a safer environment for both students and staff. An additional benefit of the program was the increased interaction between students and the officer due to the officer's accessibility. Over the years, the Program has expanded to include both the Ottumwa High School and Evans Middle School.
The School Resource Officers instruct the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program (D.A.R.E.) in the Elementary schools. The D.A.R.E. Program is an integral part of the Department's community policing initiative as well as the Ottumwa Community School District's substance abuse prevention curriculum. The Program was originally implemented in 1988.
The curriculum consists of seventeen weeks of instruction that focuses on a variety of substance abuse prevention and self-esteem topics, including drugs and their effects, violence, decision making, consequences, social pressures and their sources, and respect.
NO Violence Is G.R.E.A.T.
We are partnering with the Ottumwa Community School District to present the Gang Resistance Education And Training Program (G.R.E.A.T.) at Evans Middle School and the Freshman class at the Ottumwa High School. The G.R.E.A.T. Program is a school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum. The Program's primary objective is to help prevent delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership. G.R.E.A.T. is a thirteen week program with lessons that focus on providing life skills to students to help them avoid delinquent behavior and violence to solve problems.
Links to the D.A.R.E. Program & the G.R.E.A.T. Program are provided by clicking on the logos below. Each program has a respective link specific to our region and state. Feel free to explore the websites for further information.
