D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles and has proven so successful that it is now being implemented in 75 percent of our nation's school districts and in more than 43 countries around the world. D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.

Deputy Punkin became the D.A.R.E. Instructor/Coordinator for the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office in January of 1980. At that time the Sheriff’s office provided D.A.R.E. for several Hopkins County schools including; Nebo, Dalton, Charleston, Mortons Gap, White Plains, St. Charles, Nortonville, Christ the King Catholic School, and Dawson Springs Independent School. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office continues today to provide classroom instruction of the core D.A.R.E. classes in the 5^th grade as well as visitation to elementary classes, and various programs to middle and high schools.

Every year Deputy Punkin teaches the D.A.R.E. curriculum to 13 classes of 5^th graders, consisting of approximately 500 students. In addition to the core classes Deputy Punkin visits lower primary classes, preschool, Head Start, and also presents assembly programs that reach over 2,000 students with the message to make healthy decisions and stay drug free. In addition to children Deputy Punkin provides programs on Methamphetamines and drug prevention to Middle school and High schools students and programs for PTA's, churches, and civic clubs throughout Hopkins County and the surrounding areas.