City of Memphis Police Department 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 Memphis Police Department's G.R.E.A.T. program works directly with students in the Memphis City Schools. There are 112 elementary schools operated by Memphis City Schools, 25 middle schools, 4 junior high schools, 31 high schools, 6 career and technology schools, 7 special schools, and 6 charter schools. Six Memphis Police Department certified officers and one lieutenant implement the G.R.E.A.T. Program. The G.R.E.A.T. curriculum is taught to approximately 300 fourth grade elementary and 4,600 seventh grade middle school students annually and is integrated into the Memphis City Schools' curriculum. The Fiscal Year 2007 funds will be used to continue implementing the G.R.E.A.T. Program in the schools' curriculum by allowing officers to instruct classes. Some agencies that assist in the success of the program are the Shelby County Jail, the Federal Correctional Institution, the Shelby County Sheriff's Metro Gang Task Force, and the Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Court.

CA/NCF