Constable Precinct Six GREAT 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 Precinct 6 G.R.E.A.T. program strives to impact the lives of students participating in the program by providing gang-awareness education classes, enhancing self esteem, and providing alternatives, such as youth sports and activities. The program will reach about 4,800 high-risk students in both elementary and middle schools within the Precinct this year. The deputies assigned to the G.R.E.A.T. program seek to better educate children, parents and the general public about the negative effects of gang involvement and activities, while performing proactive community policing. To carry out the mission of G.R.E.A.T, Precinct 6 will continue to implement the program's four components; elementary, middle school, family training, and summer activities. It is the intent of Precinct 6 to reach the precinct's most vulnerable and susceptible children, as identified by the abovementioned methods. With these grant funds, Precinct 6 will increase the number of officers assigned full-time to the G.R.E.A.T. Program from two to four to meet the increasingly difficult challenge from the influence of gangs. Currently, Precinct 6 is participating in all four of the G.R.E.A.T. programs. The Deputies are devoted 100% of the time to implementing the G.R.E.A.T. program, frequently working overtime without compensation in order to see to the success of the program.

CA/NCF