Sergeant J. Benavides, the Grant County DARE coordinator, told the Grant County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 14 that the county’s DARE program needs roughly $12,500 to maintain classroom lessons, community outreach and student materials.

The program, run by county and Silver City police officers, teaches a modernized DARE curriculum focused on decision-making, communication skills and cyber-bullying as well as substance effects, Benavides said. “This is a 10‑week program in the schools…an hour a week,” Benavides said. He asked the commission for funding to cover handouts, graduation items and conference expenses.

The request matters because DARE officers said they reach nearly every elementary school in Grant County and graduate about 300 students annually between the Silver and Cobre districts, and because program costs include travel to rural schools and yearly recertification training. Benavides told commissioners the total program cost they were seeking was “about $12,500 if that's possible,” and that “$10 of that would be going towards our school and our community programs,” language he used to describe the bulk of material and outreach expenditures.

Commissioners praised the program and asked follow-up questions. Commissioner Stevens, who previously had criticized older versions of DARE, said she sees value in the updated curriculum and urged collection of evaluative data: “If any way we could increase our data or evidence that the program is working…that would make me happy,” she said. Benavides said the sheriff’s office is seeking partnerships and collecting attendance and juvenile referral information to support future grant applications.

Commissioner Flores raised operational concerns about using supervisory personnel in teaching roles and whether officers teaching while off duty remain available for critical incidents. The sheriff and Benavides responded that instructors typically notify dispatch and supervisors when they are “10‑8” on DARE duty and that patrol is prioritized when a critical incident arises.

No motion or vote to allocate the requested funds was recorded during the meeting. Commissioners verbally expressed support and agreed to consider funding as part of budget discussions; Sheriff’s office staff and commissioners said they would explore donation options and possible budget inclusion.

Benavides provided additional program details: DARE officers complete two weeks of instructor training, the program runs supplemental middle‑ and high‑school lessons on fentanyl and internet safety, and the local DARE board has members active at the state level. He also estimated conference travel for two staff at “probably about $2,000 to $3,000.”

The sheriff and several commissioners encouraged community fundraising and noted the city of Silver City contributes to the program; Benavides said the city manager had approved $10,000 for the city’s portion. The Sheriff’s Office said donations should be routed through the county offices to ensure proper handling.

Supporters and staff said they will work on data collection and fundraising so the commission can evaluate a budget request at a future meeting.