City of Brockton 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 Brockton will utilize the Fiscal Year 2007 G.R.E.A.T. funds to continue to implement the core G.R.E.A.T. component to approximately 1,200 middle and junior high school youth and to implement a component for families. Currently, the Brockton Police Department has four officers teaching the G.R.E.A.T. curriculum. The G.R.E.A.T. Officers will attend various after-school activities including but not limited to skating at the local roller rink, accompanying the school on related field trips, and attending summer concert series and Brockton's local minor league baseball team games. Additionally, G.R.E.A.T. Officers will participate in Brockton Summer Day Camps held at parks throughout the city during the summer months.

CA/NCF