South Carolina D.A.R.E. Training Center
Master Deputy Donald Danner
Director, SC DARE Training Center
(803)451-1438
After State funding for D.A.R.E. was discontinued in 2003, the SC Criminal Justice Academy no longer had the ability to teach and certify officers in the D.A.R.E. program. Starved of its funding, the program seemed destined to end.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, however, refused to let the program die in South Carolina and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department became the state training center for D.A.R.E.
The D.A.R.E. Training Center acts as the liaison between the State D.A.R.E. Officers and D.A.R.E. America. The job of the training center is to disseminate national updates, concerns, and to recommend qualified D.A.R.E. Officers to be trained as Mentors.
The Training Center also maintains officer certification records and agencies' statistical records to assure correct data collection. It is also the mission of the Training Center to train law enforcement officers in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Curriculum while adhering to the guidelines and upholding the integrity standards set by D.A.R.E. America. The Training Center reports all of its data to the Executive Director, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott. The two-week DARE Officer Training (D.O.T.) will be delivered as often as needed based on statewide demand.
The D.A.R.E. Training Center promotes the D.A.R.E. program to all law enforcement agencies, educators, and government agencies by sharing the scientific base delivery strategy for students. This strategy allows the student to “Take Charge” of him/herself. Having knowledge of consequences that stems from their decisions making skills is strong. Also understanding how it will impact them, their families, their friends and future endeavors will make a lasting impression.