The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office is proud to announce that Deputy Joshua Wolf, assigned to the NPSO Youth Services Division, recently graduated from the 49th Louisiana D.A.R.E. Officer Training and is now a certified D.A.R.E. Officer.
Bossier Parish Sheriff Julian Whittington addressed the graduates reminding them to set examples for the students they teach.
NPSO Youth Services Division Lt. Derick Turner attended the graduation ceremony in support of Deputy Wolf and represented the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office during the event.
D.A.R.E., which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is a nationally recognized program that brings specially trained law enforcement officers into classrooms to provide students with education and skills designed to help them make safe, responsible, and informed decisions.
D.A.R.E. officers receive specialized instruction preparing them to work directly with students in the classroom. The program focuses on topics that include good decision-making, resisting peer pressure, communication skills, drug and alcohol awareness, bullying prevention, and building positive relationships between young people and law enforcement.
As a certified D.A.R.E. Officer, Deputy Wolf will now be able to bring these lessons into Natchitoches Parish schools while continuing the Youth Services Division’s mission of building positive relationships with students, educators, and families.
The NPSO Youth Services Division works closely with schools throughout Natchitoches Parish, providing School Resource Officers, youth education programs, and other initiatives designed to promote school safety and encourage positive interaction between students and law enforcement.
Sheriff Stuart Wright congratulated Deputy Wolf on completing the training and earning his D.A.R.E. certification.
“Deputy Wolf’s certification is another valuable addition to our Youth Services Division and our continued commitment to the young people of Natchitoches Parish,” said Sheriff Stuart Wright. “Programs such as D.A.R.E. give our deputies an opportunity to interact with students in a positive environment while providing them with information and decision-making skills that can benefit them throughout their lives. We congratulate Deputy Wolf on this accomplishment and look forward to the positive impact he will have in our schools.”