From K-9s To Trooper 7: St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Hosts D.A.R.E. Camp

LEONARDTOWN, Md. — After five days of solving mock crimes, practicing lifesaving skills, meeting police K-9s and cooling off beneath water sprayed by a fire truck, campers had plenty to talk about at the St. Mary’s County Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E., Camp graduation Friday, July 31.

Dodgeball and capture the flag earned several enthusiastic votes when students were asked about their favorite activities in interviews with The BayNet. Others highlighted the K-9 demonstration, a Maryland State Police helicopter landing and the military drill competition.

Organized by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, the camp was held Monday, July 27, through Friday, 31, at Leonardtown Middle School. Attendance nearly doubled compared with last year, reflecting the program’s continued growth.

Sheriff’s Office personnel served as team leaders throughout the week, guiding campers through activities, answering their questions and helping them build positive relationships with local law enforcement.

By graduation day, the school cafeteria was filled with campers wearing brightly colored team shirts and exchanging stories about a week that took them inside ambulances, an armored vehicle and the work of several public safety agencies.

Watch an interview with the campers below:

Campers share their favorite moments from the 2026 St. Mary’s County D.A.R.E. Camp, from dodgeball and K-9 demonstrations to Trooper 7 and military drill. The five-day program concluded with a graduation ceremony Friday, July 31, at Leonardtown Middle School. (Video by Sophia Blackwell/The BayNet)

Officers Become Mentors And Team Leaders

Although the camp introduced students to several public safety agencies, members of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office remained at the center of the experience.

Deputy First Class Brandon Reynolds served as camp facilitator, helping oversee the week’s activities before delivering the opening remarks at Friday’s graduation.

Campers were divided into four color-coded teams led by Sheriff’s Office personnel and D.A.R.E. instructors. DFC A. Tasciotti and DFC A. Cucinotta led the Red Team. Cpl. Jaime Davis led the Yellow Team, Cpl. Robert Chase led the Green Team and Cpl. Shaun Carberry led the Blue Team.

The officers worked directly with campers throughout the five-day program, guiding games and demonstrations while reinforcing lessons about responsibility, teamwork, discipline and safe decision-making.

Cpl. Gerard Muschette served as the camp’s games master. Additional Sheriff’s Office support was provided by Cpl. Dianne Hersh, Michelle Caracaus and Jaimie Cordeau.

Junior and senior counselors also helped support the teams and were recognized during graduation.

The officers’ involvement allowed campers to interact with law enforcement outside emergency situations and enforcement encounters. Through games, meals and team challenges, students had opportunities to ask questions and become more familiar with those who serve their community.

Learning To Make Difficult Decisions

At the center of the camp was the D.A.R.E. decision-making model, which teaches students to define a problem, assess their options, respond appropriately and evaluate the decision they made.

Campers also discussed drugs and their effects on the body, along with the risks and consequences associated with substance use. Lessons addressed peer pressure and gave students opportunities to talk about stresses and challenges they may encounter.

The conversations asked campers to think beyond simply knowing what is right or wrong. They practiced slowing down, considering possible consequences and choosing an appropriate response.

In interviews with The BayNet, campers said they learned about the dangers of drugs, while one student credited the military drill exercises with improving focus.

Lifesaving Lessons From Local Rescue Squads

Campers also learned skills that could help them respond during a real emergency.

Members of the Mechanicsville Volunteer Rescue Squad and Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad demonstrated their equipment and taught basic CPR and “Stop the Bleed” techniques.

Using CPR mannequins and simulated blood, students practiced chest compressions and learned how to control serious bleeding. They also toured ambulances and saw the equipment emergency medical personnel use daily.

The demonstrations transformed lessons that could have remained abstract into experiences the students could see, touch and practice for themselves.

A Look Inside Emergency Response

Members of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Team introduced campers to specialized equipment used during high-risk incidents.

Students toured the agency’s BearCat, an armored vehicle used by the team, and learned how its equipment helps protect officers and members of the public during emergency operations.

The Emergency Response Team from the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center also visited the camp, giving students another look at the training, discipline and teamwork required in public safety careers.

Campers later learned basic military drill movements before putting their discipline and teamwork to the test in a friendly competition.

K-9s, Crime Scenes And An Eyewitness Challenge

One of the week’s most popular demonstrations came from Cpl. Henry and Cpl. Smith of the Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit.

Campers watched the dogs locate hidden decoys and saw a live demonstration involving a padded bite suit. Several children later identified the dogs as one of their favorite parts of camp.

Students also met members of the Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab and a detective from the Criminal Investigations Division. They learned about fingerprint analysis, DNA, metal detectors, crime scene searches and the steps detectives take to solve cases.

Their observational skills were tested during the camp’s “Eyewitness Challenge.” A mock suspect suddenly ran through the classroom, stole several items and fled. Campers then had to remember and report what they had seen.

The exercise demonstrated how quickly a crime can unfold — and why noticing clothing, physical characteristics and other details can be important.

Wet Wednesday Brings A Midweek Cooldown

Wednesday brought one of the camp’s most anticipated traditions: Wet Wednesday.

A fire truck arrived at Leonardtown Middle School and sprayed water for the campers, giving them an opportunity to run, play and cool off outside.

The day also included the K-9 demonstrations and lunch provided by Chick-fil-A First Colony Center.

Other meals and support were provided by community partners throughout the week, including the Mechanicsville Optimist Club.

Trooper 7 Makes A Memorable Landing

The week’s public safety demonstrations reached new heights Thursday when Trooper 7 from the Maryland State Police Aviation Command landed at the school.

Campers were able to see the helicopter up close and learn about the aviation unit’s role in medical transports, searches, rescues and other emergencies.

For several students interviewed at graduation, the helicopter landing ranked alongside the K-9s, dodgeball and capture the flag as a highlight of the week.

Campers Celebrated During Friday Graduation

The week concluded Friday with a graduation ceremony recognizing the campers, counselors, sponsors and community partners who made the program possible.

Reynolds opened the ceremony and introduced the four teams and their leaders. St. Mary’s County Sheriff Steven A. Hall attended as a special guest.

The program included recognition of the camp’s sponsors and counselors, along with the announcement of the D.A.R.E. essay winner and flag design champions. Campers were then presented with graduation certificates marking their completion of the five-day program.

Camp organizers recognized support from the Mechanicsville Optimist Club, SMECO, Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department, Hollywood Lions Club, Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad, Maryland State Police Aviation Command, St. Mary’s County Corrections Division and Chick-fil-A First Colony Center. Sheriff’s Office support staff and members of the K-9 Unit, Emergency Services Team, Crime Lab and Criminal Investigations Division were also recognized.

Leonardtown Middle School Principal Deborah Dennie received special recognition for hosting the camp and supporting the program. Following the ceremony, campers, staff members and families were invited to gather for refreshments.

More Than A Week Of Summer Fun

Games remained an important part of the experience. Capture the flag required teams to balance offense and defense as they attempted to take an opponent’s flag back to their own territory. Dodgeball gave campers another outlet for competition, movement and teamwork between classroom lessons.

The activities also reinforced the camp’s larger message: communicate with others, remain aware of what is happening and make thoughtful decisions under pressure.

By Friday, the campers had done much more than fill a week of summer vacation. They had practiced emergency medical skills, explored careers in public safety and learned strategies that could help them handle difficult choices.

They also spent the week working alongside the Sheriff’s Office officers who served as their team leaders — turning badges and uniforms into familiar faces, coaches and mentors.

As several students gathered around the camera following graduation, they summed up the experience together:

“D.A.R.E. Camp Is Awesome!”

Families interested in the 2027 St. Mary’s County D.A.R.E. Camp should monitor the Sheriff’s Office’s Camp D.A.R.E. webpage for registration information. The 2027 application period has not yet been announced, and families are encouraged to apply early once registration opens because space is limited.

---