Memphis native Sonja Myles has been appointed the Linden PD’s D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officer.

Police Chief Scott McClure said Myles was chosen, “due to the commitment and dedication she shows for the children of the community.”

Myles, 31, comes to Linden from her hometown of Memphis. She has been in law enforcement for three years, where she worked for Eutaw Police Department before coming to Linden.

Officer Myles graduated with a High School Honors Diploma; has an Associate’s Degree and is currently working on her Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Organizational Management.

McClure recently enrolled Myles in a D.A.R.E. certification program that will require she complete 80 hours of training. 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.

“I am honored to be the D.A.R.E. officer for the City of Linden Police Department and I am very excited in bringing this program into the schools to teach the children of Linden and Marengo County,” Myles said. “This program is more than teaching a child to say no to drugs. This program has been designed to help children as they go through many changes in their childhood years and teenage years. Some other topics I will be teaching the children, just to give you an insight will (cover) how to deal with peer pressure and bullying.”

Myles said she was looking forward to meeting the children this upcoming school year and working with the principals and teachers as well as other faculty members.