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With no more in-person sessions, Higgins and his team brainstormed. Together with Officer Maureen McBride, Sgt. Paul Mazzeo and Jeanna Ribbon, Higgins came up with virtual lessons.
He created videos using various emojis and voice recordings, then spent hours upon hours piecing assembling them into lessons.
To thank him for his time, commitment and talent, his teammates nominated Higgins as the Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence (L.E.A.D.) Instructor of the Year.
“This year was a challenge for everyone," said L.E.A.D. Executive Director and CEO Nick DeMauro. "We commend Officer Higgins as well as the other Howell L.E.A.D. instructors on their ability to find solutions toward helping students successfully complete L.E.A.D. programs remotely.”
Law enforcement’s traditional role in the fight against drug abuse has primarily involved catching and prosecuting offenders.
L.E.A.D. adds an element of education, filling the gap left by the demise of the D.A.R.E. program.
Organizers say L.E.A.D. – which operates in 33 states -- is the only charitable law enforcement-related organization utilizing K-12 curricula that has proved effective in addressing the perils and consequences of using tobacco, alcohol, marijuana or illegal drugs.
The officers who work the program hope to become role models while building trusting and supportive relationships with youngsters and their families.
Communication, confidence, assertiveness, refusal strategies and other resistance skills are discussed and practiced in role-play exercises.
They also discuss the development of positive friendships, peer pressure and "the art of avoiding risky situations," while examining the role of self-pressure in decision-making exercises."
The added benefit, of course, is having armed, trained policy officers protecting the children.
Mazzeo said team members "wanted to take the time to acknowledge Officer Higgins’ hard work and passion toward re-designing the L.E.A.D. curriculum to cater toward our school’s new online requirement in an engaging, efficient manner.
"My colleagues and I agree that it would have been very difficult to create the videos without him.”
MORE INFO: www.leadrugs.org
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