DARE & Youth Services

Westlake Police Department administers Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) using uniformed officers to deliver key prevention messages to students in elementary through high school. Our officer instruct DARE in the Westlake City Schools, as well as two private schools. The instruction begins in the third grade and continues in fifth, seventh and tenth grades.

The logo of the D.A.R.E. program, featuring the acronym in bold, stylized red letters against a white background.

A police officer in uniform, smiling and posing for the camera against a plain background.

Officer Keanan Cook

  • 11 years as a School Resource Officer/Drug Abuse Prevention Officer

  • We offer lessons K through 5, and 7th grades.  K-4 lessons focus on personal safety (think Safety Town) and safe use of medications.  5th grade is the meat and potatoes of the DARE program.

  • Lessons include: Introduction (to DARE), Drug Information for Responsible Decision Making, Risks and Consequences, Peer Pressure, Dealing with stressful situations, Basics of Communication, Nonverbal Communication, Bullying, Helping Others & Getting Help from Others, Being safe with Prescription (Rx)  and Over-The-Counter Medicines (OTC), and Vaping.

A man stands in front of an American flag, wearing a blue checkered shirt and smiling slightly.

Officer Pat Foye

  • School Resource Officer/Drug Abuse Prevention Officer at Lee Burneson Middle School

  • Lakewood Police Department - 25 years, with assignments as Detective, Investigator and Narcotics Detective

  • U.S. Army (Reserve) Retired

  • WEB SWAT

  • WEB negotiator

A man with short hair wearing a black shirt with a badge on the left side, standing against a plain background.

Officer Ted Morley

  • School Resource Officer/Drug Abuse Prevention Officer at Dover Intermediate School

  • Lakewood Police Department 26 years

  • Westshore Enforcement Bureau (WEB) SWAT

  • U.S. Marshals Service Task Force

  • Community officer

  • Firearms and Tactics trainer

A smiling police officer stands in front of an American flag, wearing a uniform with a badge and a green lanyard.

Officer Joe Rutkowski

  • 28 years total law enforcement

  • School Resource Officer/Drug Abuse Prevention Officer at Westlake Elementary School

  • Ohio School Resource Officers Association Member

  • Crisis Intervention Certified Officer, ADAMS Board Cuyahoga County

  • Westlake PD (2004-2022) P/T Patrol Officer

  • Cleveland PD (2000-2018) Patrol Officer

  • Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office (1994-2000) Deputy Sheriff, Narcotics Detective

A man in a police uniform stands in front of an American flag, smiling at the camera.

Officer Tim Gaertner

  • School Resource Officer/Westlake High School

  • Cleveland Police Department 32 years

  • Officer in Charge of the Cleveland Division of Police S.W.A.T. Unit

  • Officer in Charge of the Cleveland Division of Police Fugitive Unit

  • Task Force Officer with the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force through the U.S. Marshals Service

  • This information also can be found on the Westlake City Schools website.