In 2022, the Lee's Summit Missouri Police Department began searching for a curriculum to replace the D.A.R.E. program taught in schools for decades. When a suitable "off-the-shelf" replacement could not be found, the officers assigned to the unit developed a new and unique curriculum. Over the course of several months, the officers worked with the R-7 School District, community stakeholders and students to create a new program for elementary and middle school instruction. The result of their efforts would produce the IMPACT program. The completed program was presented to the R-7 School Board for approval, and officers began teaching the new elementary lessons in the fall of 2022 and the new middle school lessons in the fall of 2023. The new IMPACT program has an official mascot, "Copper" the police dog!
In addition to the regular IMPACT lessons, officers make numerous appearances at special events and teach safety lessons to children of all ages throughout the community. The officers of the unit are listed below.
Nathan Cantrell
Beth Glover
Larry Jones
Steve Crume
"Copper" the IMPACT Mascot