MEXICO — As School Resource Officer Doug Maifeld dives into his curriculum with fifth graders at Mountain Valley Community School, he is going with something even better than his anti-drug messaging: his very own collectible card.

This year, Maifeld’s 33rd conducting Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE), the reserve Rumford police officer will have 2,000 cop cards to be given to students, staff and community members.

DARE is a 16-week education program to prevent the misuse of controlled drugs, membership in gangs and violent behavior. Maifeld said there will be a “graduation” day for the DARE students in May.

The back of the card says Maifeld retired as a patrol sergeant from Rumford police in 2020 after 30 years of service. He was then hired as the full-time school resource officer for Regional School Unit 10. He has been a D.A.R.E. instructor since 1993.

Maifeld said his proudest accomplishment is having assisted Special Olympics Maine his entire career and being chosen to represent Maine as a “Guardian of the Flame” by carrying the torch for the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, Germany, in June 2023.

The front of the card shows a photo of Maifeld carrying the torch during those games.

Maifeld said funding for his card was paid through an account for the DARE program.

For the Rumford police, finding ways to interact with residents is essential, and connecting with younger people at an early age is also important. As a way for the public to meet and get know the officers, the department is planning to come out with a whole set of cop cards for first time in 10 years.

“I’m hoping to have department cop cards sometime in 2026, but it is a bit further down my to-do list,” Police Chief Tony Milligan said. “Also on that list is to obtain a quote and identify funding for it. I don’t expect it to be too costly.”

Maifeld said each department member would get a stack of 1,000 cards.