G.R.E.A.T. NEWS
VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 1 • SUMMER 2009
Southwest Regional Training Center
Phoenix Police Department • Regional G.R.E.A.T. Unit
620 W. Washington St., CRB • Phoenix, AZ 85003
Main - 602-495-0431 • Toll Free - 800-24-GREAT • Fax - 602-495-0438 • E-mail: [email protected]
G.R.E.A.T. Has a New Slogan—
“Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.!”
In an effort to make G.R.E.A.T. more student-focused, the
National Policy Board (NPB) recently approved a new slogan
for the G.R.E.A.T. Program—“Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.”
One of the goals of the G.R.E.A.T. curricula is for students to
consistently choose positive decisions for their lives.
You will soon see “Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.” on your student
handbooks, merchandise, and the G.R.E.A.T. Web site, as
well as in other G.R.E.A.T.-focused areas. Please ensure that
any materials that display the retired slogan “No Violence Is
G.R.E.A.T.” are replaced with items that bear the new slogan.
Student Handbooks
Have New Look
In addition to a new slogan, G.R.E.A.T. student handbooks
now have a new look! Both the middle school and elementary
school handbooks, Spanish and English versions, have been
updated to have more “kid” appeal. Although the content has
not changed, formatting has—font types were updated, new
graphics were added, and various font sizes were used.
You will also notice that the covers now contain a distinctive
colored band down the middle to help you more easily
distinguish between elementary and middle school handbooks.
Middle school handbooks have a blue band, and elementary
handbooks, a yellow one.
The G.R.E.A.T. Program provides handbooks free of charge
to any certified G.R.E.A.T. instructor. To order, go to www.
great-online.org/GREATOfficers/Login. To ensure delivery
in time for your first class, submit your request at least four
weeks before your classes are scheduled to begin. Please note
that student graduation certificates will now be automatically
included with your handbook orders. It is no longer necessary
to place a separate certificate order with your regional office.
Certificates will be shipped along with your handbooks.
Since there are no handbooks for the G.R.E.A.T. Families
component, if you need Families certificates, you will still
need to order them separately. An online Families certificate
order form is being added to the G.R.E.A.T. Web site.
Take advantage of these new handbooks for the upcoming
school year. Do not copy old and outdated handbooks, as
the curriculum is copyrighted. Not only will you benefit by
saving money and ensuring that your instructor status remains
active, your students will appreciate and benefit from the new
handbooks as well.
Bureau of Justice Assistance
Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
12 months or who has submitted teaching data through the
student handbook ordering process at least once during a
24-month period. Teaching data, for example, includes the
number of students, the number of schools where G.R.E.A.T.
was taught, and the number of classes graduated.
Instructors will be automatically inactivated if they have not
attended a GOT in the most previous 12-month period or have
not reported teaching data for 24 months. Once inactivated,
the instructor will no longer be able to access the Instructor
Resources Web page, where curricula and other critical items
are located.
An e-mail regarding the curriculum download Web page was
sent to all instructors who are listed in the database. If you did
not receive this e-mail, please update your account so you will
receive future e-mail notifications.
G.R.E.A.T. Curricula and
Slideshows—Now Available
for Download
If you have any questions about the curriculum download
site, the slideshows, or inactived status, please contact the
G.R.E.A.T. National Program Office at (800)
726-7070 or [email protected].
The latest English versions of the G.R.E.A.T. Instructor’s
Curricula and overhead slideshows are now available for
download to all certified, active G.R.E.A.T. instructors. The
Spanish version of the G.R.E.A.T. Instructor’s Curricula will
be available for download in the near future.
The curricula include the middle and elementary school
curricula, the G.R.E.A.T. Summer Program Procedures and
Resources, and the G.R.E.A.T. Families information sheet. The
overhead slideshows are available in PowerPoint format for
instructors to use in classrooms having LED projectors, instead
of overhead projectors. If you choose to use these PowerPoint
slideshows, it is suggested that you download them over the
summer to become familiar with them before using them in the
classroom this fall.
It is important to note that an active instructor is one who has
attended a G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training (GOT) within the last
G.R.E.A.T. Grant Applications
The FY2009 grant application period closed on February 22,
2009, and applications are currently under review. Once the
review and approval process are completed, awards will be
posted on the G.R.E.A.T. Web site at www.great-online.org.
page 2
Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
Joint Juvenile Gang Intervention Unit — Austin, Texas
Written by Detective Zac Gorbet – Austin ISD Police
Department Joint Juvenile Gang Intervention Unit
The Joint Juvenile Gang Intervention Unit (JJGIU) is a task
force of officers from the Austin Police Department and the
Austin Independent School District Police. The unit was formed
following the 2005 gang-related murder of a 16-year old Austin
High School student. The JJGIU was tasked with attacking the
emerging youth gang problem with prevention and intervention
resources, in addition to traditional enforcement strategies. The
four detectives assigned to the unit quickly determined that the
most logical place to begin such efforts was in the schools, since
this is where many youth are first exposed to the gang culture.
After researching several different gang prevention programs,
the JJGIU identified G.R.E.A.T. as one of the most widely
recognized and successful programs available. The multi-faceted
nature of the program (Elementary, Middle School, Families,
and Summer components) also worked with the unit’s goal of
attacking youth gang involvement from multiple angles. The
first group of detectives were certified in August, 2006, and
G.R.E.A.T. was launched as a pilot program at the 7th grade level
of three targeted Austin ISD middle schools in Spring 2007, with
every 7th grader in those schools receiving instruction.
After teaching the G.R.E.A.T. Middle School curriculum for one
semester, the officers found that the greatest measurable effect of
the program seemed to be a remarkable shift in the attitude many
of the students had toward the police. Questionnaires completed
by the students before and after receiving the program showed
that almost all of the students who had originally expressed a
distrust or less than positive view of the police, subsequently
indicated that they now saw the police officer as a friend and
someone they could come to if they needed help. This reported
result was confirmed by the interaction the students had with
the G.R.E.A.T. officers after the first few lessons. The effect of
G.R.E.A.T. seemed to be contagious, and the attitudes of even
students who had not received the lessons had changed for the
better.
With the glorification and popularity of gang and “thug” culture
growing throughout the country, the JJGIU officers quickly
realized the need to expand the program to the elementary level,
The Joint Juvenile Gang Intervention Unit (Zac Gorbet,
Keith Bazzle, Jose Sandoval, and Steven Rodriguez) at the
Martin MS G.R.E.A.T. graduation.
as many students were already involved with gangs, crime,
and violence before reaching middle school. Additional
JJGIU officers attended G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training, and
the G.R.E.A.T. elementary component was implemented
in Fall 2008 in the 4th grade of eight elementary schools
in Central East Austin, an area of town that statistically
produces about ¼ of all documented gang members in the
Capital City. The JJGIU’s goal is for every student in this
target area to receive G.R.E.A.T. while in the 4th grade,
then to follow up with the G.R.E.A.T. Middle School
component in 6th grade. This multi-tiered approach is what
makes G.R.E.A.T. a superior program for teaching and
reinforcing life skills to youth, who may not be learning
them elsewhere.
Even though the G.R.E.A.T. program in Austin is still in its
infancy, the positive effects are already being realized. The
program has not only improved the relationship between
youth and the police, it has also affected the G.R.E.A.T.
officers on a personal level. Law enforcement is often a
thankless job, and rarely does a police officer get to see
that his or her efforts make a difference to society, or even
to a specific individual. Teaching the G.R.E.A.T. program
has helped remind the officers of the JJGIU that what
they do can have a positive impact and really does make a
difference.
page 7
Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
Southwest Regional News
GOT2-923 – Sandy, Utah
GOT2-905 – Austin, Texas
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training 2-923 – Sandy, UT
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training 2-905 – Austin, TX
The State of Utah claims to have the “Greatest Snow on Earth.”
Well, they can add to their claim to have also hosted one of
the “G.R.E.A.T. est” Officer Training class in Utah history.
From January 19-30, 2009, the G.R.E.A.T. Southwest Regional
Training Center, in a joint partnership with the Utah Council
for Crime Prevention and the Utah Police Officer Standards
and Training (POST), conducted an 80-hour G.R.E.A.T.
Officer Training class in Sandy, Utah.
The Utah Council for Crime Prevention’s (UCCP) executive
director Tibby Milne and executive assistant Mike Milne have
been instrumental in the expansion of G.R.E.A.T. agencies
in Utah. With their assistance, a training site was secured at
the Salt Lake Community College, Larry Miller Public Safety
Building, which is also home to the Utah POST academy. The
support we received from the facility’s coordinator Claron
Brenchley and his staff was exceptional.
We wish to thank the agencies and officers who contributed to
this successful training and welcome the G.R.E.A.T. Officers
from the Southwest Region: Mike Berg, Beaver County
Sheriff’s Office, UT; Norm Bettridge and DJ De Jarnatt,
Midvale Police Department, UT; Vickie Jeppson, Clinton
Police Department, UT; James Timpson and Lee Warnken, Salt
Lake County Sheriff’s Office, UT; Michelle Zuniga, Bureau
of Indian Affairs, UT; Albert Casarez, Humble ISD Police
Department, TX; Marquis Fomby, U.S. Marshal’s Service,
TX; and William Gaither, Clark County School District Police
Department, NV. In addition we had nine officers from New
York, California, and a special guest from London, Warden
Daniel Hall.
Austin, Texas is not only the capital of Texas, but it is also
known for live music venues, beautiful lakes and a place
where you can actually celebrate being weird. The “Keep
Austin Weird” slogan blankets the city. It is no wonder then
why G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training 2-905 had a few abnormal
moments.
Where else for a graduation ceremony could you have a deputy
do impressions of the training staff? Derrick Taylor, from the
Travis County Sheriff’s Office, did an incredible impression of
Seminar Supervisor Ron Cash and several other staff members
that had everyone rolling with laughter.
We wish to thank the agencies and officers who contributed to
this successful training and welcome the newest G.R.E.A.T.
Officers from the Southwest Region: Domingo Aguirre, Alamo
Police Department, TX; Bonnie Caudill, Joy Gamble, Henry
Moreno, and Antwain Tarver, Austin Police Department,
TX; Samantha Corral, Frank Del Toro and Jorge Murillo ,
Socorro ISD Police Department, TX; Nicolas Escobedo, Jesus
Resendez, San Juan Police Department, TX; Vince Galloway,
Derrick Taylor, Travis County Sheriff’s Office, TX: Jose
Sandoval, Austin ISD Police Department, TX; Elda McDonald,
Comanche Police Department, TX; Arturo Longoria, Brooks
County Sheriff’s Office, TX; Gilbert Garza and Christopher
Hernandez, Pharr Police Department, TX; Michael Hadley,
Fort Sam Houston, TX; B. Keith Miller Seminole Nation
Lighthorse Police Department, OK; Jack Thompson, Seminole
Police Department, OK. In addition we had three officers from
Lexington, Kentucky, one from Salina, Kansas and two from the
Niagara Regional Police Services in St. Catherines, Ontario.
page 6
Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
Where Has All the Money Gone?—How to Sustain
Your G.R.E.A.T. Programs Beyond Public Funds
By: Linda S. Hammond-Deckard, Policy Advisor–
Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Ways to Cut Program Costs
Over the last five years, there has been a steady decline of
funds appropriated for the implementation and sustainment
of G.R.E.A.T. projects through federal G.R.E.A.T. grants.
Funding levels declined from $25 million in the FY2004 and
FY2005 budgets to $18.8 million in FY2008. The Omnibus
Appropriations Act, 2009 cuts the G.R.E.A.T. funds even
further to only $10 million for the entire program—including
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Trainings (GOTs), student handbooks,
and the funds to operate the Regional Training Centers
(RTCs). With less money in the congressional appropriation
for G.R.E.A.T., there is less money with which to make local
grant awards.
1.Engage parents, teachers, and college or high school
service groups to serve as chaperones on field trips or
during the summer component activities.
2.Cut back on G.R.E.A.T.-branded gift items for
teachers, school administrators, volunteers, and
sponsoring agency staff. A handwritten thank-you
note from either the G.R.E.A.T. instructor or several
of the G.R.E.A.T. students will be appreciated just as
much, by most, as another coffee mug or T-shirt.
3.Invite local vendors to become a G.R.E.A.T.-licensed
vendor, and purchase your G.R.E.A.T. supplies from
your own community, whenever possible.
Those of us intimately involved with the G.R.E.A.T. Program
know—without a doubt—that G.R.E.A.T. really does work.
The G.R.E.A.T. Program is very much like our work in law
enforcement—it is not about saving the entire community
each day but rather saving the community, one life at a time.
The G.R.E.A.T. Program does not keep every youth from
joining a gang, nor does it keep every student who earns
his/her G.R.E.A.T. graduation certificate from engaging in
negative behaviors, such as bullying. What we are certain of
is that, at the very least, the G.R.E.A.T. Program provides
students with a foundation of life skills to help them make
their own decisions to avoid gang involvement, violence, and
other negative behaviors.
4.Partner with a local community park or recreation
facility for summer or after-school programming,
promoting the benefit to the youth as the need for nocost or reduced-cost use of the facility.
5.As field trips to amusement parks, sporting events,
or museums are both fun and educational for the
youth, look for ways to obtain reduced cost or free
admission for the youth.
With the announcement of FY2009 G.R.E.A.T. awards
several months away, BJA would like to encourage all of
our G.R.E.A.T. local program partners to begin to think
seriously about sustaining their G.R.E.A.T. Programs in a
time of diminishing federal program funds. At the present
time, BJA intends to continue to offer GOTs and the student
handbooks and graduation certificates at no cost to any
certified G.R.E.A.T. instructor. Below, we offer some ideas for
G.R.E.A.T. project sustainment and ways to generate funds
for supplies, summer programs, etc.
6.Look for social clubs, fraternal groups, or sports
enthusiasts that might be able to offer a fun event
for youth at no cost to the Program. For example: a
local fishing or golf group might be willing to offer
a fishing derby event or teach youth beginning golf
skills, local grocery stores often offer free classes on
nutrition and simple meal preparation, a local chess
club could teach youth the basics of the game of
chess, or a local college sports team might partner to
form a youth team.
page 3
– continued on page 4
Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
Where Has All the
Money Gone? – continued from page 3
Rules for How to Get What You
Need for G.R.E.A.T.
1. Ask.
Steps You Can Take to Create
Partnerships
2.Ask not for yourself, but ask on behalf of the youth in
your community.
3.Ask what a partner can contribute, instead of telling
them what you want them to contribute.
1.Create a complete list of businesses—both large
and small; fraternal organizations; faith-based
groups; and those with specific interest in prevention
programs, youth violence, and education.
4.Give those that contribute recognition for their
efforts, regardless of the size of the contribution.
5.Invite partners that contribute to attend a G.R.E.A.T.
event, and have the youth recognize the partners and
their contribution.
2.Invite potential partners to attend a G.R.E.A.T.
informational meeting; have students talk about how
G.R.E.A.T. has impacted their lives, decision-making
skills, etc.
3.Challenge communities and leaders, both
governmental and business, to make a commitment to
not only the G.R.E.A.T. Program but the future of the
youth in their community.
4.Create a G.R.E.A.T. Advisory Board and challenge
businesses and community leaders to get actively
involved in G.R.E.A.T.
6.Be prepared to offer each person or business that
makes a contribution a receipt (for tax purposes) for
the fair market value of the products or services they
contributed.
Creative Fund-Raising Ideas
1.Partner with a local business for a special G.R.E.A.T.
event day. For example, the West Covina Police
Department partnered with Cold Stone Creamery
in their community for a G.R.E.A.T. Cone Day, and
a portion of the profits from every cone purchased
was contributed to offset the cost of the G.R.E.A.T.
Summer Component.
5.Engage a local service group to “adopt” G.R.E.A.T.
as its service project for the year.
6.Find a 501(c)(3) partner who can provide nonprofit
status to your G.R.E.A.T. Advisory Board.
7.Find ways to get positive media attention for the
G.R.E.A.T. Program. Invite the media outlets in
your area to attend a G.R.E.A.T. student community
service project or observe a day during your summer
component.
2.Have G.R.E.A.T. students raise funds through an
organized fund-raising activity, such as selling
G.R.E.A.T. license plates or bumper stickers to
parents, relatives, and neighbors.
3.Survey the Internet for foundations and corporations
that provide support for youth education or youth
prevention programs, and find out how your
G.R.E.A.T. Program can qualify for their support.
Always remember to focus your
discussions on how G.R.E.A.T. will
benefit the youth and the community!!
page 4
Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
G.R.E.A.T. Officer In-Service and GFT-901
Colorado Springs, Colorado
On April 13-15, 2009, the SWRTC in partnership with
the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)
conducted a G.R.E.A.T. Officer In-Service (GOI) in Colorado
Springs, Colorado for 20 hours of training and networking.
The GOI, by design, is remarkably different than G.R.E.A.T.
Officer Trainings (GOT) or even classes held during the
G.R.E.A.T. Regional or G.R.E.A.T. National Conferences. InServices are designed to help facilitate the immediate needs of
the attendees.
Like previous GOIs, verbal and written comments from the
participants at the conclusion of the In-Service prove that this
opportunity was valuable skills development tool for those
who attended.
Upcoming Trainings:
In late 2009, with support from the FLETC, we hope to
once again present a GOI for officers in the SW Region. We
encourage you to look often for training opportunities posted
on the G.R.E.A.T. website at www.great-online.org.
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training #2-910 will be held in The
Woodlands, Texas on June 15-26, 2009. The training
will be hosted by the Conroe ISD Police Department.
Note: Lodging is NOT provided at this training location.
This is an 80-hour class.
Honoring G.R.E.A.T. Instructors
Serving Our Country
We honor G.R.E.A.T. Officer Rory Souza, of the Honolulu
Police Department (HI). Rory has been a G.R.E.A.T.
instructor since the1999 and is a member of the National
Training Team. Rory was recently re-activated and is stationed
in Kuwait escorting supply caravans into Iraq (his 1st tour was
in Baghdad in ’04). Rory can be contacted by e-mail at
SFC R. Souza
100th Bn. 442nd Inf.
Camp Virginia
APO, AE 09327
If you know of any other G.R.E.A.T. instructors who are
currently serving in our Nation’s military, please e-mail us
at [email protected] so we can give them the recognition
and support they so G.R.E.A.T.–ly deserve. We encourage
everyone to send letters, cards or e-mails letting them know
how much we appreciate them.
Finally GFT-901 was held in Colorado Springs, Colorado on
April 16-17, 2009 with 24 class members. Seven officers
from the Southwest Region were among the graduates.
Certified as G.R.E.A.T. Families Lead Facilitators were
William Gaither, Clark County School District Police
Department, Nevada; Napoleon Alfaro, Harris County Precint
6, Texas; Gabriel Hernandez and Rodney States, Salt River
Tribal Police Department, Arizona; Arturo Longoria, Brooks
County Sheriff’s Office, Texas; James Potter, North Las Vegas
Police Department, Nevada; Christopher Rutledge, Fort Hood
Military Police, Texas.
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training #2-917 will be held in
Phoenix, Arizona on September 14-25, 2009. Lodging
expenses for those traveling over 50 miles from Phoenix
will be covered. Your agency will be responsible for
transportation and meal expenses. This is an 80-hour
class.
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training #1-920 will be held in
Phoenix, Arizona on November 30 through December
4, 2009. Lodging expenses for those traveling over 50
miles from Phoenix will be covered. Your agency will be
responsible for travel and meals. This is a 40-hour class.
Details and application forms for all G.R.E.A.T.
training opportunities are available on the G.R.E.A.T.
web page at http://www.great-online.org/Program/
TrainingSchedules.Aspx
page 5
Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
Where Has All the
Money Gone? – continued from page 3
Rules for How to Get What You
Need for G.R.E.A.T.
1. Ask.
Steps You Can Take to Create
Partnerships
2.Ask not for yourself, but ask on behalf of the youth in
your community.
3.Ask what a partner can contribute, instead of telling
them what you want them to contribute.
1.Create a complete list of businesses—both large
and small; fraternal organizations; faith-based
groups; and those with specific interest in prevention
programs, youth violence, and education.
4.Give those that contribute recognition for their
efforts, regardless of the size of the contribution.
5.Invite partners that contribute to attend a G.R.E.A.T.
event, and have the youth recognize the partners and
their contribution.
2.Invite potential partners to attend a G.R.E.A.T.
informational meeting; have students talk about how
G.R.E.A.T. has impacted their lives, decision-making
skills, etc.
3.Challenge communities and leaders, both
governmental and business, to make a commitment to
not only the G.R.E.A.T. Program but the future of the
youth in their community.
4.Create a G.R.E.A.T. Advisory Board and challenge
businesses and community leaders to get actively
involved in G.R.E.A.T.
6.Be prepared to offer each person or business that
makes a contribution a receipt (for tax purposes) for
the fair market value of the products or services they
contributed.
Creative Fund-Raising Ideas
1.Partner with a local business for a special G.R.E.A.T.
event day. For example, the West Covina Police
Department partnered with Cold Stone Creamery
in their community for a G.R.E.A.T. Cone Day, and
a portion of the profits from every cone purchased
was contributed to offset the cost of the G.R.E.A.T.
Summer Component.
5.Engage a local service group to “adopt” G.R.E.A.T.
as its service project for the year.
6.Find a 501(c)(3) partner who can provide nonprofit
status to your G.R.E.A.T. Advisory Board.
7.Find ways to get positive media attention for the
G.R.E.A.T. Program. Invite the media outlets in
your area to attend a G.R.E.A.T. student community
service project or observe a day during your summer
component.
2.Have G.R.E.A.T. students raise funds through an
organized fund-raising activity, such as selling
G.R.E.A.T. license plates or bumper stickers to
parents, relatives, and neighbors.
3.Survey the Internet for foundations and corporations
that provide support for youth education or youth
prevention programs, and find out how your
G.R.E.A.T. Program can qualify for their support.
Always remember to focus your
discussions on how G.R.E.A.T. will
benefit the youth and the community!!
page 4
Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
G.R.E.A.T. Officer In-Service and GFT-901
Colorado Springs, Colorado
On April 13-15, 2009, the SWRTC in partnership with
the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)
conducted a G.R.E.A.T. Officer In-Service (GOI) in Colorado
Springs, Colorado for 20 hours of training and networking.
The GOI, by design, is remarkably different than G.R.E.A.T.
Officer Trainings (GOT) or even classes held during the
G.R.E.A.T. Regional or G.R.E.A.T. National Conferences. InServices are designed to help facilitate the immediate needs of
the attendees.
Like previous GOIs, verbal and written comments from the
participants at the conclusion of the In-Service prove that this
opportunity was valuable skills development tool for those
who attended.
Upcoming Trainings:
In late 2009, with support from the FLETC, we hope to
once again present a GOI for officers in the SW Region. We
encourage you to look often for training opportunities posted
on the G.R.E.A.T. website at www.great-online.org.
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training #2-910 will be held in The
Woodlands, Texas on June 15-26, 2009. The training
will be hosted by the Conroe ISD Police Department.
Note: Lodging is NOT provided at this training location.
This is an 80-hour class.
Honoring G.R.E.A.T. Instructors
Serving Our Country
We honor G.R.E.A.T. Officer Rory Souza, of the Honolulu
Police Department (HI). Rory has been a G.R.E.A.T.
instructor since the1999 and is a member of the National
Training Team. Rory was recently re-activated and is stationed
in Kuwait escorting supply caravans into Iraq (his 1st tour was
in Baghdad in ’04). Rory can be contacted by e-mail at
SFC R. Souza
100th Bn. 442nd Inf.
Camp Virginia
APO, AE 09327
If you know of any other G.R.E.A.T. instructors who are
currently serving in our Nation’s military, please e-mail us
at [email protected] so we can give them the recognition
and support they so G.R.E.A.T.–ly deserve. We encourage
everyone to send letters, cards or e-mails letting them know
how much we appreciate them.
Finally GFT-901 was held in Colorado Springs, Colorado on
April 16-17, 2009 with 24 class members. Seven officers
from the Southwest Region were among the graduates.
Certified as G.R.E.A.T. Families Lead Facilitators were
William Gaither, Clark County School District Police
Department, Nevada; Napoleon Alfaro, Harris County Precint
6, Texas; Gabriel Hernandez and Rodney States, Salt River
Tribal Police Department, Arizona; Arturo Longoria, Brooks
County Sheriff’s Office, Texas; James Potter, North Las Vegas
Police Department, Nevada; Christopher Rutledge, Fort Hood
Military Police, Texas.
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training #2-917 will be held in
Phoenix, Arizona on September 14-25, 2009. Lodging
expenses for those traveling over 50 miles from Phoenix
will be covered. Your agency will be responsible for
transportation and meal expenses. This is an 80-hour
class.
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training #1-920 will be held in
Phoenix, Arizona on November 30 through December
4, 2009. Lodging expenses for those traveling over 50
miles from Phoenix will be covered. Your agency will be
responsible for travel and meals. This is a 40-hour class.
Details and application forms for all G.R.E.A.T.
training opportunities are available on the G.R.E.A.T.
web page at http://www.great-online.org/Program/
TrainingSchedules.Aspx
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Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
Southwest Regional News
GOT2-923 – Sandy, Utah
GOT2-905 – Austin, Texas
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training 2-923 – Sandy, UT
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training 2-905 – Austin, TX
The State of Utah claims to have the “Greatest Snow on Earth.”
Well, they can add to their claim to have also hosted one of
the “G.R.E.A.T. est” Officer Training class in Utah history.
From January 19-30, 2009, the G.R.E.A.T. Southwest Regional
Training Center, in a joint partnership with the Utah Council
for Crime Prevention and the Utah Police Officer Standards
and Training (POST), conducted an 80-hour G.R.E.A.T.
Officer Training class in Sandy, Utah.
The Utah Council for Crime Prevention’s (UCCP) executive
director Tibby Milne and executive assistant Mike Milne have
been instrumental in the expansion of G.R.E.A.T. agencies
in Utah. With their assistance, a training site was secured at
the Salt Lake Community College, Larry Miller Public Safety
Building, which is also home to the Utah POST academy. The
support we received from the facility’s coordinator Claron
Brenchley and his staff was exceptional.
We wish to thank the agencies and officers who contributed to
this successful training and welcome the G.R.E.A.T. Officers
from the Southwest Region: Mike Berg, Beaver County
Sheriff’s Office, UT; Norm Bettridge and DJ De Jarnatt,
Midvale Police Department, UT; Vickie Jeppson, Clinton
Police Department, UT; James Timpson and Lee Warnken, Salt
Lake County Sheriff’s Office, UT; Michelle Zuniga, Bureau
of Indian Affairs, UT; Albert Casarez, Humble ISD Police
Department, TX; Marquis Fomby, U.S. Marshal’s Service,
TX; and William Gaither, Clark County School District Police
Department, NV. In addition we had nine officers from New
York, California, and a special guest from London, Warden
Daniel Hall.
Austin, Texas is not only the capital of Texas, but it is also
known for live music venues, beautiful lakes and a place
where you can actually celebrate being weird. The “Keep
Austin Weird” slogan blankets the city. It is no wonder then
why G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training 2-905 had a few abnormal
moments.
Where else for a graduation ceremony could you have a deputy
do impressions of the training staff? Derrick Taylor, from the
Travis County Sheriff’s Office, did an incredible impression of
Seminar Supervisor Ron Cash and several other staff members
that had everyone rolling with laughter.
We wish to thank the agencies and officers who contributed to
this successful training and welcome the newest G.R.E.A.T.
Officers from the Southwest Region: Domingo Aguirre, Alamo
Police Department, TX; Bonnie Caudill, Joy Gamble, Henry
Moreno, and Antwain Tarver, Austin Police Department,
TX; Samantha Corral, Frank Del Toro and Jorge Murillo ,
Socorro ISD Police Department, TX; Nicolas Escobedo, Jesus
Resendez, San Juan Police Department, TX; Vince Galloway,
Derrick Taylor, Travis County Sheriff’s Office, TX: Jose
Sandoval, Austin ISD Police Department, TX; Elda McDonald,
Comanche Police Department, TX; Arturo Longoria, Brooks
County Sheriff’s Office, TX; Gilbert Garza and Christopher
Hernandez, Pharr Police Department, TX; Michael Hadley,
Fort Sam Houston, TX; B. Keith Miller Seminole Nation
Lighthorse Police Department, OK; Jack Thompson, Seminole
Police Department, OK. In addition we had three officers from
Lexington, Kentucky, one from Salina, Kansas and two from the
Niagara Regional Police Services in St. Catherines, Ontario.
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Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
Where Has All the Money Gone?—How to Sustain
Your G.R.E.A.T. Programs Beyond Public Funds
By: Linda S. Hammond-Deckard, Policy Advisor–
Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Ways to Cut Program Costs
Over the last five years, there has been a steady decline of
funds appropriated for the implementation and sustainment
of G.R.E.A.T. projects through federal G.R.E.A.T. grants.
Funding levels declined from $25 million in the FY2004 and
FY2005 budgets to $18.8 million in FY2008. The Omnibus
Appropriations Act, 2009 cuts the G.R.E.A.T. funds even
further to only $10 million for the entire program—including
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Trainings (GOTs), student handbooks,
and the funds to operate the Regional Training Centers
(RTCs). With less money in the congressional appropriation
for G.R.E.A.T., there is less money with which to make local
grant awards.
1.Engage parents, teachers, and college or high school
service groups to serve as chaperones on field trips or
during the summer component activities.
2.Cut back on G.R.E.A.T.-branded gift items for
teachers, school administrators, volunteers, and
sponsoring agency staff. A handwritten thank-you
note from either the G.R.E.A.T. instructor or several
of the G.R.E.A.T. students will be appreciated just as
much, by most, as another coffee mug or T-shirt.
3.Invite local vendors to become a G.R.E.A.T.-licensed
vendor, and purchase your G.R.E.A.T. supplies from
your own community, whenever possible.
Those of us intimately involved with the G.R.E.A.T. Program
know—without a doubt—that G.R.E.A.T. really does work.
The G.R.E.A.T. Program is very much like our work in law
enforcement—it is not about saving the entire community
each day but rather saving the community, one life at a time.
The G.R.E.A.T. Program does not keep every youth from
joining a gang, nor does it keep every student who earns
his/her G.R.E.A.T. graduation certificate from engaging in
negative behaviors, such as bullying. What we are certain of
is that, at the very least, the G.R.E.A.T. Program provides
students with a foundation of life skills to help them make
their own decisions to avoid gang involvement, violence, and
other negative behaviors.
4.Partner with a local community park or recreation
facility for summer or after-school programming,
promoting the benefit to the youth as the need for nocost or reduced-cost use of the facility.
5.As field trips to amusement parks, sporting events,
or museums are both fun and educational for the
youth, look for ways to obtain reduced cost or free
admission for the youth.
With the announcement of FY2009 G.R.E.A.T. awards
several months away, BJA would like to encourage all of
our G.R.E.A.T. local program partners to begin to think
seriously about sustaining their G.R.E.A.T. Programs in a
time of diminishing federal program funds. At the present
time, BJA intends to continue to offer GOTs and the student
handbooks and graduation certificates at no cost to any
certified G.R.E.A.T. instructor. Below, we offer some ideas for
G.R.E.A.T. project sustainment and ways to generate funds
for supplies, summer programs, etc.
6.Look for social clubs, fraternal groups, or sports
enthusiasts that might be able to offer a fun event
for youth at no cost to the Program. For example: a
local fishing or golf group might be willing to offer
a fishing derby event or teach youth beginning golf
skills, local grocery stores often offer free classes on
nutrition and simple meal preparation, a local chess
club could teach youth the basics of the game of
chess, or a local college sports team might partner to
form a youth team.
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– continued on page 4
Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
12 months or who has submitted teaching data through the
student handbook ordering process at least once during a
24-month period. Teaching data, for example, includes the
number of students, the number of schools where G.R.E.A.T.
was taught, and the number of classes graduated.
Instructors will be automatically inactivated if they have not
attended a GOT in the most previous 12-month period or have
not reported teaching data for 24 months. Once inactivated,
the instructor will no longer be able to access the Instructor
Resources Web page, where curricula and other critical items
are located.
An e-mail regarding the curriculum download Web page was
sent to all instructors who are listed in the database. If you did
not receive this e-mail, please update your account so you will
receive future e-mail notifications.
G.R.E.A.T. Curricula and
Slideshows—Now Available
for Download
If you have any questions about the curriculum download
site, the slideshows, or inactived status, please contact the
G.R.E.A.T. National Program Office at (800)
726-7070 or [email protected].
The latest English versions of the G.R.E.A.T. Instructor’s
Curricula and overhead slideshows are now available for
download to all certified, active G.R.E.A.T. instructors. The
Spanish version of the G.R.E.A.T. Instructor’s Curricula will
be available for download in the near future.
The curricula include the middle and elementary school
curricula, the G.R.E.A.T. Summer Program Procedures and
Resources, and the G.R.E.A.T. Families information sheet. The
overhead slideshows are available in PowerPoint format for
instructors to use in classrooms having LED projectors, instead
of overhead projectors. If you choose to use these PowerPoint
slideshows, it is suggested that you download them over the
summer to become familiar with them before using them in the
classroom this fall.
It is important to note that an active instructor is one who has
attended a G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training (GOT) within the last
G.R.E.A.T. Grant Applications
The FY2009 grant application period closed on February 22,
2009, and applications are currently under review. Once the
review and approval process are completed, awards will be
posted on the G.R.E.A.T. Web site at www.great-online.org.
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Choose to Be G.R.E.A.T.
Joint Juvenile Gang Intervention Unit — Austin, Texas
Written by Detective Zac Gorbet – Austin ISD Police
Department Joint Juvenile Gang Intervention Unit
The Joint Juvenile Gang Intervention Unit (JJGIU) is a task
force of officers from the Austin Police Department and the
Austin Independent School District Police. The unit was formed
following the 2005 gang-related murder of a 16-year old Austin
High School student. The JJGIU was tasked with attacking the
emerging youth gang problem with prevention and intervention
resources, in addition to traditional enforcement strategies. The
four detectives assigned to the unit quickly determined that the
most logical place to begin such efforts was in the schools, since
this is where many youth are first exposed to the gang culture.
After researching several different gang prevention programs,
the JJGIU identified G.R.E.A.T. as one of the most widely
recognized and successful programs available. The multi-faceted
nature of the program (Elementary, Middle School, Families,
and Summer components) also worked with the unit’s goal of
attacking youth gang involvement from multiple angles. The
first group of detectives were certified in August, 2006, and
G.R.E.A.T. was launched as a pilot program at the 7th grade level
of three targeted Austin ISD middle schools in Spring 2007, with
every 7th grader in those schools receiving instruction.
After teaching the G.R.E.A.T. Middle School curriculum for one
semester, the officers found that the greatest measurable effect of
the program seemed to be a remarkable shift in the attitude many
of the students had toward the police. Questionnaires completed
by the students before and after receiving the program showed
that almost all of the students who had originally expressed a
distrust or less than positive view of the police, subsequently
indicated that they now saw the police officer as a friend and
someone they could come to if they needed help. This reported
result was confirmed by the interaction the students had with
the G.R.E.A.T. officers after the first few lessons. The effect of
G.R.E.A.T. seemed to be contagious, and the attitudes of even
students who had not received the lessons had changed for the
better.
With the glorification and popularity of gang and “thug” culture
growing throughout the country, the JJGIU officers quickly
realized the need to expand the program to the elementary level,
The Joint Juvenile Gang Intervention Unit (Zac Gorbet,
Keith Bazzle, Jose Sandoval, and Steven Rodriguez) at the
Martin MS G.R.E.A.T. graduation.
as many students were already involved with gangs, crime,
and violence before reaching middle school. Additional
JJGIU officers attended G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training, and
the G.R.E.A.T. elementary component was implemented
in Fall 2008 in the 4th grade of eight elementary schools
in Central East Austin, an area of town that statistically
produces about ¼ of all documented gang members in the
Capital City. The JJGIU’s goal is for every student in this
target area to receive G.R.E.A.T. while in the 4th grade,
then to follow up with the G.R.E.A.T. Middle School
component in 6th grade. This multi-tiered approach is what
makes G.R.E.A.T. a superior program for teaching and
reinforcing life skills to youth, who may not be learning
them elsewhere.
Even though the G.R.E.A.T. program in Austin is still in its
infancy, the positive effects are already being realized. The
program has not only improved the relationship between
youth and the police, it has also affected the G.R.E.A.T.
officers on a personal level. Law enforcement is often a
thankless job, and rarely does a police officer get to see
that his or her efforts make a difference to society, or even
to a specific individual. Teaching the G.R.E.A.T. program
has helped remind the officers of the JJGIU that what
they do can have a positive impact and really does make a
difference.
page 7
Western Region
www.great-online.org
Northeast Region
G.R.E.A.T. NATIONAL
PROGRAM OFFICE
Midwest Region
Post Office Box 12729
Tallahassee, FL 32317-2729
Southwest Region
Phone: (800) 726-7070
Fax: (850) 386-5356
This project was supported by Grant No. 2007-JV-FX-K074 awarded by the Bureau
of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the
Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the
National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. Points of view or opinions in this
document are those of the author and do not represent the official position or
policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
© 2009 Institute for Intergovernmental Research® on behalf of the
G.R.E.A.T. National Policy Board. All Rights Reserved. No copies or
extractions may be made without express permission. For information,
contact the G.R.E.A.T. National Program Office at (800) 726-7070 or
P.O. Box 12729, Tallahassee, FL 32317-2729.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Regional G.R.E.A.T. Unit
620 W. Washington St., CRB
Phoenix, AZ 85003