Just ask the Florida Drug Abuse Resistance Education Officers Association, which named Brooks the 2011 Florida D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year for his outstanding contributions to the D.A.R.E. program.
Brooks received the award from the during the organization’s annual training conference at the Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., on July 14 .
Brooks has been a Youth Relations deputy ever since he joined CCSO in June 2001. He is assigned to Calusa Park Elementary School, Seacrest Country Day School and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School.
The three schools nominated Brooks for the prestigious award, including 43 students from Seacrest who sent letters praising the veteran deputy for his work with young people.
Also at the conference, Brooks received a D.A.R.E. practitioner certificate from the Florida D.A.R.E. Officers Association and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. This certification recognizes D.A.R.E. officers for their superior training and skills in the D.A.R.E. curriculum, and encourages officers and their agencies to continue the training.
Sheriff Kevin J. Rambosk was honored with the FDOA's Leadership award at the conference. Click here to read the news release.
D.A.R.E. is an education program that gives children the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, tobacco use, over the counter and prescription drugs, bullying, gangs, cyber-bullying, violence, and other negative activities.
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office provides D.A.R.E. instruction to fifth-grade students in 26 public and private schools.
