KTKA

"We decided it's better for everybody if we get out of the D.A.R.E. business," Riley County Police Department Tim Hegarty said.

The Riley County Police Department is cutting the Drug Abuse Resistance Program, better known as D.A.R.E.

The program has been teaching Manhattan kids over 15 years how to say to no to drugs, but Captain Tim Hegarty says many studies show the program doesn't help.

"Let's not kid ourselves, it doesn't work to reduce drug and alcohol abuse among teens," Hegarty said.

School principal and father of three Larry Liotta says he's seen kids learn first hand.

"It really did make an impact and the kids took hold of that information and used it," Amanda Arnold Elementary School Prinicipal Larry Liotta said.

The principal of Bluemont Elementary School was also disappointed to hear the D.A.R.E program will end in December and Liotta says the school doesn't have a drug awareness program that will compare.

"At this time I think we have a void," he said.

The police say they want to help the school district come up with a program where students can still interact with the officers, but don't want to be in charge of the program.

"Let's find something out there that does work," Hegarty said. "Let's find our role in it, but let's not be the leaders in it as we were of the dare program."

Meanwhile, the schools are trying to find a way to fill the void.

"I think it's a loss for our community and I think the children will be the biggest losers in this," Liotta said.

As for the D.A.R.E car, police say they will probably put lights on it and still use it in parades.