Perrysburg police reduce DARE, but reportedly have time to hang "no-guns" signs

The Toledo Blade is reporting that the Perrysburg Police Division is planning to reduce the number of officers it assigns to teach Drug Abuse Resistance Education in the schools, known as DARE, which has some area educators and students worried about the future of the program.

From the story:

Police Chief Richard Gilts said he decided to reassign Officer Don Humphrey to road patrol full-time. Officer Humphrey had been splitting his time between the road patrol and DARE. The change will be in effect next school year.

Officer Jeff Graham will remain as the full-time DARE teacher. He has been assigned to the program for several years, and will now handle all the teaching.

"Cutting back on the program is a real loss for the students," said Barbara Jenks, principal of St. Rose Elementary School.

Although they won't have time for this program, OFCC has learned Perrysburg police may still have time to help post "no-guns" signs to private property.

An alert OFCC supporter reported last week that a Perrysburg condo development has posted a “no guns” sign at the entrance of the development. The condo park, Callander Corner, is located just east of N. Dixie Highway off of Eckel Junction. According to this volunteer, one of the condo owners says the sign was installed by the Perrysburg police, after the neighborhood association vote to post the signs. OFCC is attempting to verify the reports.

This is not the first time OFCC has received reports of uniformed police officers assisting in the posting of “no-guns” signs, despite an almost constant barrage of complaints from police departments about being under-funded and thus unable to do their (real) jobs effectively.