Pasco County Sheriff's Office 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 Pasco Sheriff's Office will use the FY 2007 G.R.E.A.T award to support their elementary/middle school curriculum and summer component. The elementary/middle school curriculum will be taught in all middle schools served by the Pasco Sheriff's Office and most police departments. The sworn G.R.E.A.T. Officers also serve as the assigned School Resource Officer at the respective Middle School where the curriculum is delivered and officers cater the lessons to risk factors relevant to the student base. The grantee will use this award to increase the program to one additional middle school and to expand their G.R.E.A.T. Summer Component to five sites, serving 650 students ranging from the fourth through eighth grade. Grant funds will be used to pay G.R.E.A.T. Officers on an overtime basis; purchase student graduation and participant incentives; cover training and travel expenditures for G.R.E.A.T. Officers; fund activities for the summer component such as field trips, transportation, supplies, and prizes for community projects, lunches, and food for nighttime community projects; purchase G.R.E.A.T. branded items and recognition items for teachers & administrators; and reimburse teacher chaperones who will accompany participants during the 'Project Paint Pasco Clean and Pasco Community Improvement Project East' projects.

CA/NCF