Budget woes kill Elgin's DARE program

Elgin's budget crunch has already resulted in city layoffs and increased fees for residents, but it can claim another casualty: the Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE, program for Elgin Area U-46 District fifth-graders.

Elgin Police Chief Lisa Womack confirmed Wednesday that to help save on officer overtime, the three DARE officers that serve U-46 middle schools will be moved back to patrol duty Jan. 1.

In early November, the police union cried foul over this and other reassignments, but Womack said the cost- cutting moves were just proposals and nothing was final.

Womack said Monday night the DARE move, along with removing two officers from the Crime Free Housing Unit and other temporary reassignments, would save about $200,000 to $250,000.

She said the move was needed to focus on "core services." School liaison officers for high schools will remain.

Womack said she notified U-46 officials of the move before Thanksgiving and acknowledged she has since received angry e-mails from several fifth-grade teachers. She predicted the department would eventually reinstate another prevention program if funding becomes available in coming years.

"It was time to evolve from DARE to something else anyway," Womack said before the city council approving its $276 million budget for 2009.