Old Bridge DARE helps students meet difficult challenges in today's society
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THOMAS H. COLLOW Guest Column
I would like to respond to recent comments by Old Bridge Board of Education candidate Stan Gendlin ("Crowded Field Seeks Three Seats on Old Bridge Board," Suburban, April 10).

Mr. Gendlin stated that, if elected, he would address the drug problem in Old Bridge schools by calling for the elimination of the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program, which he also referred to as a "national disaster."

As chief of police, I take exception to Mr. Gendlin's comments. As a police officer in Old Bridge for 30 years and an active participant in the police and school environment, I can state unequivocally that our DARE program is very successful.

The Old Bridge Police Department is committed to our school community and is proud of its programs such as our School Resource Officers, Summer Youth Camps and especially our cornerstone program, DARE.

The Old Bridge Police Department's DARE program is one of the most recognized programs in the county and has been established in the state as a model program. In addition, Officer Michael Korygoski, who is my department's primary DARE instructor and coordinator, is recognized as a lead trainer for the state of New Jersey and has received numerous awards for his dedicated work.

I attend as many DARE graduations as possible, most recently at Cooper and

McDivitt schools, and have observed the acceptance of this program by students, faculty, PTA and the many parents who attend these events.

Yes, it is true that substance abuse is a problem that impacts every school system across our nation. It should also be noted that no one component in prevention is sufficient in and of itself to reduce the incidence of drug use.

The DARE program in Old Bridge has continually been modified over the years to help students meet the many challenges they face in today's society including substance abuse, peer pressure and, most recently, gang-related issues.

My department's DARE program is also responsible for building and maintaining a positive relationship with students throughout their educational journey. The Old Bridge DARE program is a model example of such a relationship.

A recent published report in the October 2007 Health Education Research stated: "DARE has a positive impact in establishing cooperative and at times a voluntary environment between the police and school community." I cannot agree more, as my department has benefited in many other areas of our law-enforcement mission as a direct result of our DARE program.

In closing, the Board of Education election results have yet to be determined but will have been concluded by the time this letter is published. It is my sincere hope that those who become victorious in this election work to maintain the cooperative environment between the township's school community and the police department, with our students' education and safety our primary goal.

Thomas H. Collow is the chief of police for the Old Bridge Township Police Department