G.R.E.A.T. Program

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 City of Garland has adopted a two-fold approach to address gang issues. First, to specifically seek out and identify members and target gang-related crimes. To this end, the Gang Unit created a certification report to identify gang members, and this form has become an effective tool for police to reduce the number of gang members as well as gang related crimes. The second approach is the Police Department's commitment to address gangs, drugs, and crime issues with early intervention through education, interaction, and prevention, primarily through the School Resource Officer Program (SRO). Each officer and supervisor is certified as an SRO and G.R.E.A.T. Officer. The school system has one officer in each high school (5), one in each middle school (9) and one officer assigned to five elementary schools (7). In addition, one officer is assigned to each of the alternative educations centers (2).

CA/NCF