Dear D.A.R.E. Officers,

I am honored to serve as President of the Iowa D.A.R.E. Officers Association and to continue our shared mission of empowering students to make safe and responsible choices.  This year’s theme, “The Power of Choices,” reminds us that every decision a person makes has the potential to shape not only their future, but the communities we serve.

Every day, students face decisions that test their judgment, their values, and their confidence.  Through the D.A.R.E. program, we teach that choices carry consequences – positive or negative – and that the ability to pause, think, and choose wisely is one of life’s most powerful skills.  Our curriculum, relationships, and community partnerships all reinforce this principle: knowledge gives power, and practice builds character.

I am pleased to announce that this year’s Iowa D.A.R.E. Conference will be held July 27–28, 2026, in Marquette, Iowa, at the Cobblestone Inn & Suites.  This two-day training and networking event will bring together D.A.R.E. officers from across the state.  Together, we will explore innovative strategies to strengthen program delivery, expand partnerships, and build safer, healthier communities for Iowa’s youth.

Our strength as an organization lies in the officers who teach, the schools that welcome us, and the supporters who believe in prevention through education.  Each of you represents “The Power of Choices” in action: choosing to lead, to serve, and to invest in the next generation.

Together, we can remind every young person that while they may not control every circumstance, they always have control over their choices and that is where true power lies.

Thank you for your continued dedication to the D.A.R.E. mission and to the youth of Iowa.

Chief Robert Millin

President, Iowa D.A.R.E. Officers Association

Mar-Mac Police Department

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"Weak leaders resort to blaming others when faced with challenges.  True leadership thrives on accountability and resilience during tough times."

ROBERT MILLIN #23-1

Chief of Police

Mar-Mac Police Department

PO Box 69

319 Pleasant Drive

Marquette, IA 52158

2025 Iowa D.A.R.E. Officer Association Conference Registration

“DARE to make a difference”

July 21st-22nd, 2025                             Dubuque, Iowa

Hello Iowa DARE Officers,                            Past President Jason Hoerner

I know you all thought, and probably relieved, that you were done getting messages from me, but I just wanted to send out one more message to all of you now that the 2024 conference is over and I’ve had some time to reflect on all of it. First of all, I want to thank all of you that were able to attend and made the conference a huge success. I know it’s not easy to schedule the time to be away during your busy summer schedules when there are vacations to be taken, ball games, and staffing issues at work. I hope you were able to take away something from the presentations that we had to help yourself be better whether it’s at home or at work. We all have important roles to countless people out there and a lot of students that look up to us even if we don’t realize it and that’s why the relationships that we build are so vital to what we do. We have to take care of ourselves so we can be the best we can for those that need us.

I don’t know how many times that the different speakers that presented to us would thank me for having them come to our conference and were so happy and grateful for being able to speak to our group. Even as Molly and John were on their way home to Tennessee and Florida, they kept texting to thank me for the opportunity and wanted me to pass that on to all of you.

There are a lot of moving parts and pieces of the puzzle to put together when planning a conference, but I do have to say it was a great experience and I encourage you to seriously consider taking on that role at some point. I thought I already knew a lot about my community, but I learned so much more than I already knew. I made so many new contacts and learned about many different resources that I had no idea existed. I knew we had a lot of support out there, but as I was meeting with so many different people and organizations, I was amazed by the amount of support we really do have, not just law enforcement in general, but the DARE program. Many of the people that I met with shared stories of when they were growing up and how important the DARE program was to them whether it was here in Dubuque or from wherever they grew up. If it wasn’t for these people and organizations that believe in us and what we do every day, much of what we saw at the conference would not have been possible.

I couldn’t have imagined the conference turning out any better than it did, so thank you for being here and being a part of it and I look forward to seeing all of you in Webster City next year. I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer, and always, stay safe out there.

Thank you,

Jason

Iowa DARE Officers Association