Gang Resistance Education And Training
Drug Enforcement Administration
Crime Prevention and Schools
The Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Unit is responsible for community programs, “Neighborhood Watch”, and all school programs. The Crime Prevention Unit consists of one sworn deputy whose primary duty is to administer the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. D.A.R.E. is taught to all fifth grade students in the Thomas County School system and at Brookwood School. Each year the County D.A.R.E. Officer teaches the program to approximately 450 students. In 2005, Thomas County’s D.A.R.E. Officer was named the Georgia State D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year by the Georgia D.A.R.E. Officer Association.
The D.A.R.E. Officer for Thomas County is responsible for supervising the School Resource Officer program. Thomas County employs two School Resource Officers that are assigned to Thomas County Central High School and Thomas County Middle School. These deputies are responsible for safety and security in and around the Thomas County School System. The SRO at Thomas County Middle School teaches the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program to sixth grade students in Thomas County.
Steven Jones, 2005 Georgia D.A.R. E. Officer of the Year