Expansion of the current G.R.E.A.T Program to include all middle schools in our Jurisdiciton

The Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program is a life-skills competency program designed to provide students with the skills they need to avoid gang pressure and youth violence. G.R.E.A.T.'s violence prevention curriculum helps students develop values and practice behaviors that will assist them to avoid destructive activities. The G.R.E.A.T. program coordinates with federal, regional, state and local agencies, as well as individuals from community and civic groups. The goal of the G.R.E.A.T. program is to train law enforcement officers in a school-based curriculum in which the officers provide instruction to school-aged children in life skill competencies, gang awareness, and anti-violence techniques. Training in the core G.R.E.A.T. program is provided to officers from any state or local law enforcement agency.

The Frederick Police Department would like to expand the G.R.E.A.T program into the 3 Middle Schools (Thomas Johnson Middle, Monocacy Middle, and West Frederick Middle) in the city of Frederick corporate limits expanding its current level I program. Frederick County residents will also benefit from this program because the middle schools draw students from areas outside the corporate limits of the City of Frederick. Grant funds will be used to increase the Department's G.R.E.A.T instructor staff to five officers; purchase additional technology resources; for per diem to send two (2) Officers to Philadelphia for training to teach the G.R.E.A.T program; and to purchase G.R.E.A.T promotional materials to distribute to the 6th graders that successfully complete the course.

CA/NCF