U.S. and Colombian Police Support Drug Prevention Program

November 25, 2009

The award ceremony for the Draw for a Drug-Free Country drawing contest was held today in the presence of 32 children from around the country. The event was led by the Prevention Area of the Colombian National Police Antinarcotics Directorate. Among those present were the U.S. Ambassador to Colombia William R. Brownfield and the antinarcotics Police Director, Brig. Gen. Francisco Patiño.

This campaign, that rallied over 54,000 children from around the country, sought to have the children capture in a drawing their impressions of what they learned from the Colombian Police D.A.R.E. Drug Prevention Program. This initiative seeks to teach children the consequences and problems caused by drug consumption and other psychoactive substances, so they can assertively reject an offer to consume drugs when offered to do so.

In 1996 the Narcotics Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá supported the initial training of the Colombian National Police’s D.A.R.E. Drugs Prevention Program, reaching out to the 32 Colombian departments. The Program’s police officers not only help reduce drug consumption but also contribute to strengthening the presence of the State in remote areas of the country. In 2009, NAS worked closely with D.A.R.E., supporting the training to extend the program to high schools and parents, supplying equipment to the new Tumaco office, delivering 12 new computers for the third interactive bus on drug prevention, and financing trips and awards for the winning children of the Draw for a Drug-Free Country drawing contest.