Together Against Drug Abuse
T.A.D.A.

For the Last 5 years the Cisco Police Department has joined forces with the Mason’s, teachers and businesses in the Cisco area to try and teach the youth about drug and alcohol abuse. This program rivals DARE and is better suited for small departments such as Cisco. I know that there are other Officers and schools in the county that bring this program to area youth.

A Texas Highway Patrol Trooper who was a Mason started the program. This program has spread across Texas and hopefully makes a positive impact on the youth of tomorrow. Without the support of the Businesses the program would not be possible. I would like to thank the teachers at Cisco, each year they sit and listen to the program and help instruct with us. I, like most Officers got into the police business to make a difference, and what better way to do so? If we can get this information to the youth I believe it will impact them from now on.

Sgt. James King has helped to bring this class to the students for several years and will once again help this year. K-9 Officer Dale Escobedo has also volunteered his time to assist me with instructing the 5^th grade.

This year we again had the kickoff and had representatives from the District Attorneys Office, Investigator Kenneth Preston, the Texas Highway Patrol, Sgt. Stan Waters, and Walter Fairbanks, who is a Mason and one of the Paid Firemen for the Cisco Fire Department. They each attended and spoke to the fifth grade class.

Walter Fairbanks holds the title of Training Chief and did most of the leg work to get shirts ordered and make sure there were funds to get the class off the ground. He also assists in the year-end graduation and field trip.

After each of the above-mentioned representatives spoke to the fifth grade class we had each one come to the floor of the gym and pick up their shirt. In order to get a shirt we require them to tell us that they are special. The shirts have a unique design and they were told what the design meant. It basically had a picture of a students, teacher, businessman or mason and the police joined hands and under that is, “don’t do drugs.” Each of the students are given a t-shirt and are told to wear the shirt on the day they have the TADA class. If the student wears the shirt to class we give them at least one pencil, on occasion we give them an ice cream voucher from the Sonic. Gene Conger, the owner of the Sonic in Cisco, helps each year with the class on projects like that as does Brookshires. Over the years we have had a couple of kids loose their shirts and they are then required to make their own shirt for class. I have seen some very good shirts that were made by students and was very impressed at the length they went to. I also took my shirt to the end of the year party and had the students sign my shirt and I proudly keep them in my office to remind me what it is all about.

I have had the opportunity to teach one of my daughters in class. I also have twins that will soon be in the fifth grade and I hope to teach them as well. They are also looking forward to that.

In case you wonder why we teach the TADA to the fifth grade class, studies have shown the in 6^th grade the students are moved in most places to middle school and this is the first time they have to make decisions about drugs, alcohol and tobacco. The surveys done across the United States shows that this was the age when most youth experiment with drugs and alcohol and peer pressure plays a large role. We try to give them information about peer pressure and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. I have also seen where people that use Methamphetamine 1 time have very high odds against them. 98 % of the people that use it one time never stop. That is very scary because of the increased abuse of that drug.

At the end of the school year we take the classes to the courthouse and let them watch part of a real trial and then they tour the courthouse. We then take them to the jail where sometimes we have an inmate tell them the story of why they are in jail and most of them started out abusing drugs or alcohol. The students then tour the old jail and go to the Eastland City Park and are given pizza and drinks. We have been known to play basketball and other games. The class then receives their certificates for graduating TADA.

I would like to thank anyone that has taken part in the TADA program and say that together we can make a difference.

Chief Larry Weikel

To learn a little more about Together Against Drug Abuse please CLICK HERE