Initiating GREAT in Bakersfield City Schools

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 Bakersfield Police Department will use its grant award to fund one full-time police officer and one full-time clerk to be assigned to the School Resource Officer unit. The additional officer is needed to meet the demands of a growing community and school population. The full-time clerk will be used to support the G.R.E.A.T. Program in scheduling G.R.E.A.T. classes, tracking numbers of students taught, scheduling parents for the Family Component, completing graduation certificates, and scheduling and organizing events such as G.R.E.A.T. dances, bowling, and skating parties.

CA/NCF