Missouri
D.A.R.E.
Officer's
Association

Click here to edit subtitle

Our Mission

"Teaching students good decision-making skills to help them lead safe and healthy lives"

Our Vision

“A world in which students everywhere are empowered 
to respect others and choose to lead lives free from violence, substance abuse, and other dangerous behaviors.”

Board Officers

Missouri D.A.R.E. Officers Association

Stephanie Bahner

President
Pettis Co Sheriff's Office

Deputy Bahner works for the Pettis County Sheriff's Office

Andrew Beckfield

Vice President
Lafayette County Sheriff's Office

Deputy Beckfield is a School Resource Deputy for the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office. He is a 15 year veteran, graduating DOT in 2018. Deputy Beckfield spends his day lending a listening ear to students, giving them someone that will listen to them and provide any advice he can, bridging the gap between today's youth and law enforcement. When not doing that he is often playing whatever sport gym class is having at the time. Beckfield attends home extracurricular events, whether it's football, basketball, softball, scholar, thespian events, as both providing security for the event as well as showing the student competitors his support. Deputy Beckfield is spread across several schools throughout Lafayette County including; Wellington-Napoleon, Trinity Lutheran School and Santa Fe.

Susie Ochs

Secretary
Lake St Louis Police Dept
Officer Susie Ochs is the Community Resource Officer/D.A.R.E. Instructor for the Lake Saint Louis Police Department.  She is a 25 year veteran of law enforcement and graduated D.A.R.E. Officer Training (DOT) in 1998. She is involved in community outreach events such as the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics, coat drives, food drives,  and police-community events like Coffee with a Cop, Shop with a Cop, Walk to School Day and National Night Out.  Officer Ochs is also an International Police Mountain Bike Association Instructor, a Child Car Seat Technician and serves as a licensed drone pilot. Her favorite pastime is spending time outdoors with her family.

Amanda Blank

Treasurer
Cooper Co Sheriff's Office
Deputy Amanda Blank is the DARE officer for Cooper County.  She is a 20-year veteran, graduating DOT in 2008. Blank as served on the Missouri DARE Officer’s Association Board as Region 5 Representative, President and is currently tasking the role of Treasurer. She received DARE Officer of the Year. Blank is also a ALICE instructor.   When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family.  During the summer you will find her at the local baseball field organizing summer youth baseball and softball.

Kyle Renick

Sergeant at Arms
Cole County Sheriff's Office
Deputy Renick works as a School Resource Officer for the Blair Oaks R-II School District in Cole County, Missouri. 

Regional Reps

Jon Bagley

Region 1 Representative - Brookfield Police Department
Click this text to start editing. Use this space to describe your products, services, or team members to visitors. Double click the images to choose one that represents what you are highlighting. Click the green + button at the bottom to add a new row.

Genia Calvin

Region 1 Representative - Pike County Sheriff's Office
Click this text to start editing. Use this space to describe your products, services, or team members to visitors. Double click the images to choose one that represents what you are highlighting. Click the green + button at the bottom to add a new row.

Neil Trout

Region 2 Representative - Pettis County Sheriff's Office
Click this text to start editing. Use this space to describe your products, services, or team members to visitors. Double click the images to choose one that represents what you are highlighting. Click the green + button at the bottom to add a new row.

Brent Forgey

Region 3 Representative - Nixa Police Department

Bret Taylor

Region 3 Representative - Hollister R-V SRO
Officer Taylor is the School Resource and DARE Officer for the Hollister Missouri School District. He is a Hollister Missouri Police Officer who also carries a Taney County Sheriff’s Office commission to better serve the children of his entire school district. When not on duty Officer Taylor can be found spending time with his wife and two sons or coaching his “Blue” kids in several sports.  Officer Taylor has every intention of working as a School Resource Officer until his retirement.

Patricia Garner

Region 4 Representative - Scott County Sheriff's Office

Randy Wheeler

Region 5 Representative - Miller County Sheriff's Office

Deputy Randy Wheeler is one of two DARE Officers for the Miller County Sheriff's Office. He is a ten year law enforcement veteran and graduated from DARE Officer Training (DOT) in 2015. He is a member of the crisis intervention team and has received the medal of valor and life saving awards. When not at work, Deputy Wheeler can be found researching family genealogy and history, and traveling and visiting different museums and historical locations.


“Courage is being scared to death, and saddling up anyway.” – John Wayne  

Josh Stockman

Region 5 Representative - Cole County Sheriff's Office
Sgt. Josh Stockman is one of the numerous D.A.R.E. Officers for the Cole County Sheriff's Office. Josh oversees the Cole County Sheriff's Office School Resource Officers Unit.

Dion Olson

Region 6 Representative - Crestwood Police Department
Click this text to start editing. Use this space to describe your products, services, or team members to visitors. Double click the images to choose one that represents what you are highlighting. Click the green + button at the bottom to add a new row.

XXXXXX

Region 6 Representative - Open
You can be NEXT.  Who is ready to help with our conference?  Please contact a board member if interested.

Stacy Drake

Region 7 Representative - Cass County Sheriff's Office
Click this text to start editing. Use this space to describe your products, services, or team members to visitors. Double click the images to choose one that represents what you are highlighting. Click the green + button at the bottom to add a new row.

Amber Westerman

Region 7 Representative - Blue Springs Police Department
Officer Westerman has been with the Blue Springs Police Department for 9 years. She graduated from Oklahoma DOT in 2016. She currently teaches at both public and private school in the Blue Springs School District. During the summers she runs a summer program called Girls on Fire which empowers young girls in all areas of their lives. She is a member of the HCNT team, CIT team and Peer Support Team. Amber received a Lifesaving Award in 2014 and 2019 MACIT Officer of the year.

Advisory Members

The Past. The Present. The Future.

Kathy Kelly

Retired St Louis County Police Department & DOT Mentor
Kathy started with St Louis Co Police in 1985.  and was chosen to attend DARE training in January 1991. She received her Mentor Training in 2000 in Idaho. She's been on the Mo DOT Training team since 2001, starting at Mo Hwy Patrol and then with the Mo Police Chiefs.  In 2012, she received National DARE Officer of the Year. Even though she has trained officers in a couple of other states, her heart is with the officers in Missouri. Her passion became teaching students and since retiring, her passion has become teaching officers. Kathy believes DARE is the only tool Police Departments have to connect with the youth of our communities.  Not all children play sports, but they all attend schools and listen to officers in schools. 

Jamee Rugen

Past M.D.O.A President
Officer Jamee Rugen works for the Camdenton Police Department. She's an 11 year veteran and became a DARE officer in 2016. Officer Rugen is a certified ALICE Active Shooter instructor, negotiator, and CIT officer. Rugen is also an instructor for the Missouri Sheriff's Association Police
Academy. When she is not working, Officer Rugen enjoys spending time at the local barn with her kids for horse lessons or spending time with her family and reading.


Connor Riker

Missouri D.A.R.E. Youth Advisor
Missouri dare youth advocate board member Connor Riker is a student at Lexington High School. He is a sophomore and got elected to become a YAB in 2020. Connor is excited at the opportunity to reinforce DARE's mission and value and serving the community. He enjoys anything with the outdoors and also anything with an engine. He is a member of Boyscout troop 318 and is almost an eagle scout. He runs Cross Country, Wrestles, and is a member of the academic team at his high school. 

"Every champion was once a contender who refused to give up."- Rocky Balboa

Kevin Woodson

MO DOT Training Coordinator
Captain Woodson is a 31 year veteran and currently assigned to the Cole County Support Services Division where he supervises the SRO/DARE Program. Woodson has been a DARE Officer since 1996 and is a tremendous help to Missouri as the DOT Training Coordinator. Woodson prides the MO DOT program because he knows that our DARE officers are building bridges with their students as mentors and listeners... something they may not get at home. A crazy fact about Capt Woodson is that he swam in the Black Sea.