Newport Beach Police Department to replace D.A.R.E.

The Newport Beach Police department is rolling out a new program that will help fight bullying and peer pressure.  Almost one year ago the department announced that they planned to cut the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program due to budget constraints.  The new program is called Step Up and was created by Erica Sperling.  Erica is the department’s crime prevention specialist.  The program is designed for sixth-graders and will be a full ten-course program that will begin by the 2012-2013 school year.  23 sixth-grade classes in nine different schools will be involved in the Step Up program.  Mariners Elementary School will be on of the first schools to begin the program.