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This week, the Santa Clara City Council recognized Officers Larsen and Knight for their dedication to the Police Department’s D.A.R.E. program with a Certificate of Special Mayoral Recognition.

D.A.R.E. is a drug abuse prevention education program designed to equip elementary school children with knowledge about drug abuse, the consequences of drug abuse and skills for resisting peer pressure to experiment with drugs, alcohol and tobacco. SCPD has been teaching D.A.R.E. in Santa Clara schools since 1985.

Officer Lauren Larsen joined SCPD in July, 2011, and has held assignments as Mobile Field Force Instructor, Bicycle Patrol Operations Instructor and Citizens' Police Academy Instructor. In March 2016, Officer Lauren Larsen was assigned to the Community Services Unit as a D.A.R.E. Officer. She taught the D.A.R.E. program at numerous schools and facilitated assemblies on trending topics at the high schools. Officer Larsen is moving out of the area.

Officer Stephanie Knight began her career with SCPD in October, 2005. She has taught D.A.R.E. since August, 2014. Over 3 years, Officer Knight taught 57, ten-week 5th grade D.A.RE. classes and 8, three-week 7th grade D.A.R.E. classes. In the Community Services Unit, Officer Knight was also responsible for active shooter training/drills for all schools, school career fairs, kindergarten presentations, Parent Teacher Association presentations, cyber bullying presentations and managing the Department’s booth at city-wide special events. She also coordinated the Every 15 Minutes program at Wilcox and Santa Clara High Schools. After five years in the Community Services Unit, Officer Knight will be returning to the Patrol Division.

In the upcoming school year, SCPD will teach the D.A.R.E. curriculum at 17 public and private schools.