Continuing our news series on the 19 Days of Activism for the Prevention of Abuse and Violence toward Children and Youth The La Vergne Police Department and other local agencies are partnering with The Child Advocacy Center in Rutherford and Cannon Counties for the international “19 Days of Activism for the Prevention of Abuse and Violence toward Children and Youth”. The main theme this year is “Bullying”. More and more children, parents, and teachers struggle with bullying and its consequences in the home, on the playground, in the classroom, on the internet, and within communities.
DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is current taught in Elementary Schools throughout the city. DARE is an international program that is used throughout the United States and approximately 43 other countries. It is designed to educate children with resisting drugs and violence. DARE has a lesson dedicated to Bullying along with a supplemental lesson on Bullying Prevention. DARE is a 10 week classroom program covering peer pressure, drug abuse resistance, healthy relationships, confidence in making healthy choices, and friendship. Prior to completing the program all students are required to complete an essay reflecting what they learned from the DARE program and how it affects their personal decision making.
Law Enforcement representatives from La Vergne Police Department participate in various anti-bullying activities and prevention throughout the year. Preventative actions include primary prevention which targets the general population by raising awareness about Bullying; secondary prevention which targets “at risk” youth; and tertiary prevention focusing on setting where Bullying has already occurred. La Vergne Police Department continues to examine the ways bullying manifests itself in our community and take measures to address this challenge. La Vergne Police Depart recognizes that bullying is a multi-faceted and complex issue.
La Vergne Police Department will continue to reach out to our community and partner with other organizations to prevent Bullying and provide resources for victims of Bullying.
