The Island of Oahu

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 Honolulu Police Department will use $150,000 of Fiscal Year (FY) Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) funding to suppress, intervene, and prevent gang pressure and youth violence. Funds will be used to support middle school, elementary school, and summer components. The middle school component will be implemented in 23 of the 26 public middle schools on Oahu and is estimated to reach about 7,900 students. The elementary school component will be implemented in 4 elementary schools in various communities in Oahu and is estimated to reach approximately 500 to 600 students. The summer component will be a collaborative effort between the Honolulu Police Department and the Department of Parks and Recreation and it is estimated that approximately 450 elementary school students will participate in the program. The G.R.E.A.T program currently consists of one sergeant and seven officers and has been successfully implemented in Honolulu for the past seven years.

CA/NCF