Western Region

No Violence is G.R.E.A.T.
G.R.E.A.T. Western Region
Portland Police Bureau
449 NE Emerson St.
Portland Oregon 97211
G.R.E.A.T. News
Volume 3 • Issue 1 • January 2008
Western Region
Attn:Mailing information will be placed here.
Check with your local printer/mail house to determine specific information.
Portland Police Bureau 449 NE Emerson St. Portland, Oregon 97211
1-800-823-7188 Fax (503) 823-4162
Regional Administator: Sergeant Frank Gorgone
Regional Administrative Assistant: Narcisa Delgado-Grubb
“My G.R.E.A.T. Experience” Video
Contest
G.R.E.A.T. officers work with students from a
variety of backgrounds who have different stories,
experiences, and skills. Many officers could give
examples of the technologically and artistically
talented students at his or her school(s). Most likely,
these students are the same ones who enjoy posting
things on Web sites such as YouTube or Google
Video.
© 2007 by the Institute for Intergovernmental Research® (IIR) on behalf of
the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program. All rights
reserved. For permission to make copies or otherwise use the content herein,
contact IIR at (800) 726-7070.
To encourage this talent, G.R.E.A.T. is sponsoring a
video contest. The contest is titled “My G.R.E.A.T.
Experience.” It is geared toward G.R.E.A.T.
elementary and middle school students with a special
or creative story to demonstrate how the G.R.E.A.T.
Program has impacted the student’s life.
The national winner and up to three (3) guests will
be flown to the 2008 G.R.E.A.T. National Training
Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The student will
be given the opportunity to speak and present the
video to approximately 600 G.R.E.A.T. officers,
school personnel, and other attendees.
G.R.E.A.T. officers are urged to encourage their students
to submit their creative short videos no later than May
15, 2008. Complete rules, instructions, and entry forms
will be available on the G.R.E.A.T. Web site at
www.great-online.org.
G.R.E.A.T. Curriculum
in Spanish
The G.R.E.A.T. Program is in the process of finalizing
edits to the Spanish version of the G.R.E.A.T.
instructor’s curricula. To have your name added to the
list to receive a Spanish-language version of the manual,
please e-mail [email protected]. Please be
sure to include your name, agency, mailing address, and
telephone number.
Phone: (800) 726-7070
Fax: (850) 386-5356
Post Office Box 12729
Tallahassee, FL 32317-2729
Western Region
G.R.E.A.T. National
Program Office
www.great-online.org
Bureau of Justice Assistance
National News
G.R.E.A.T. National Training Conference-2008
Mark your calendar to attend the 2008
G.R.E.A.T.
National Training Conference—Building Bridges to
a G.R.E.A.T. Future. More information about the
conference can be found on the G.R.E.A.T. Web site at
www.great-online.org. We look forward to seeing all of
you there!
Dates and Location
July 16–18, 2008
St. Louis, Missouri
Costs
Through funding provided by the Office of Justice
Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance, the conference
registration fee is waived. Attendees will be responsible
only for expenses such as travel, lodging, and meals/
incidentals. G.R.E.A.T. grant funds may be used for
these other expenses.
Attendees
The training conference will address the needs of
individuals currently implementing the G.R.E.A.T.
Program, as well as those who want to bring G.R.E.A.T.
to their communities. In addition to G.R.E.A.T.
officers, conference attendance is recommended for:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
G.R.E.A.T. supervisors.
School resource officers.
Crime prevention officers.
Individuals representing youth-oriented
programs.
Legal and criminal/juvenile justice
professionals.
Community leaders.
School district personnel.
Law enforcement administrators and
practitioners.
Workshops
This year’s conference will be an opportunity to network
with others across the nation and attend intensive
training on topics such as:
• Interacting with the media.
• Establishing and managing the G.R.E.A.T.
Program.
• Community outreach and partnering.
• Effectively implementing the middle school and
elementary school curricula.
• How to effectively utilize the summer program.
• Recognizing victims of abuse or child
exploitation and how to respond.
• Bullying behaviors.
• Leadership and character development.
• Understanding how youth use the Internet and
other media.
• Current youth gang research.
• Understanding and managing youth with special
needs.
• G.R.E.A.T. best practices.
• Coping with officer burnout.
• How schools can help G.R.E.A.T.
• Multistrategy models to address gangs.
Other Training Opportunities
G.R.E.A.T. Families Training (GFT) classes will be
available July 14–15, 2008, for those whose GFT
applications are approved prior to the conference.
Registering for the conference does NOT approve or
confirm officers for attendance at the GFT.
Please visit the G.R.E.A.T. Web site at www.greatonline.org for an application and more information.
These classes are available on a first-come, first-served
basis.
No Violence Is G.R.E.A.T.
No Violence Is G.R.E.A.T.
The results are shown in the chart below:
Strategy for 10 percent crime reduction
Cost per taxpayer
Extended incarceration
$228
Delinquent probation
$118
Parent training
$48
High school completion incentives
$32
The most basic interpretation of this study indicates that relying solely on the “brick-and-mortar” approach to crime
reduction is five to seven times more costly than other community-based interventions. Using the earlier G.R.E.A.T.
evaluation and the ICPC study to respond to the question—“Can we afford this community-based crime prevention
program known as G.R.E.A.T.?”—we can quickly counter with “Can you afford not to devote staff and funds to
bring G.R.E.A.T. into your community?” In the words of the famous statesman Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
G.R.E.A.T. can be an investment that offers more positive results for much less cost than an enforcement-only
approach. As a consumer, would you rather pay $228 or $32 for the same results? Doesn’t the law enforcement
community have an obligation to be fiscally responsible and make the best possible use of the tax dollars, while
making every effort to take the steps necessary to prevent our youth from becoming involved in gang activities or
make decisions that could have a negative impact on them for the rest of their lives?
G.R.E.A.T. provides a fiscally responsible solution to youth crime and gang violence. Effective and cost-efficient
solutions to many problems are difficult to find. As a member of the G.R.E.A.T. “family,” you can be a part of that
solution.
NOTES
1. Esbensen, Finn-Aage, 2004. Evaluating G.R.E.A.T.: A School-Based Gang Prevention Program.
Summary. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice Research for Policy. Web accessible at: http://www.ncjrs.
gov/pdffiles1/nij/198604.pdf.
Are Prevention Programs Cost-Effective?
No Violence Is G.R.E.A.T.
by Lieutenant Raj Ramnarace, M.Ed., C.P.M.
Whenever I speak with a chief, sheriff, or other criminal justice agency executives about the G.R.E.A.T. Program,
they typically ask two questions:
1) Does G.R.E.A.T. work?
2) What does it cost?
These are important questions not only for anyone who is considering implementing G.R.E.A.T. in his or her
community but also for those of us dedicated to the continued delivery of the G.R.E.A.T. curricula in our own
communities. Even those of you with long-established programs are likely to be asked these two questions. A
“wrong” response could have a negative impact on your program. This article will provide information that can be
used to effectively respond to questions such as these.
First, documented evidence indicates that G.R.E.A.T. does work. Currently, G.R.E.A.T. is undergoing its second fiveyear, longitudinal national evaluation. The results of this current evaluation will not be available for several years.
But what did the results of the previous evaluation indicate?
The first evaluation of G.R.E.A.T. noted positive effects on youth in the areas of peer group associations and attitudes
toward gangs, law enforcement, and risk-seeking behaviors.1 Based on the recommendations made by the evaluator,
G.R.E.A.T. Program leaders directed a number of changes to the original middle school curriculum. Accordingly,
researchers and practitioners devoted years to making a good program even better. The desire to maintain and
improve the effectiveness of the program has been reinforced by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. G.R.E.A.T. now
features elementary, middle school, summer, and families components. Each of these program components was
developed using current best practices and feedback from local G.R.E.A.T. officers.
Second, are the staff and financial resources necessary to effectively deliver the G.R.E.A.T. Program cost-effective
and providing a positive return? Economists use the term “opportunity cost” to describe the things one gives up
in order to pursue any particular goal or strategy. A major concern for law enforcement agencies arises whenever
a conscious decision is made to move people and funds from enforcement operations to prevention programs. No
chief, sheriff, or public official would even consider supporting prevention programming without some reasonable
belief that the resources allocated to prevention will provide a benefit to the community—a net gain in safety,
improved community life, and meeting the objectives of the organizational mission. So, is there enough evidence that
prevention not only works, but works efficiently enough to justify an investment of money and staff?
One intriguing study conducted by the RAND Corporation and the International Centre for the Prevention of Crime
(ICPC) concluded that the benefits of engaging in well-designed prevention programs far outweigh the costs. In fact,
prevention, when done right, is the least expensive way to reduce crime.
In the ICPC study, costs associated with crime reduction were expressed as “Extra Taxes Needed for a 10 Percent
Reduction in Crime.” A comparison of costs (tax increases per person) to achieve a 10 percent decrease using
four different strategies (extended incarceration, delinquent probation, parent training, and high school completion
incentives) was examined.
No Violence Is G.R.E.A.T.
G.R.E.A.T. Longitudinal
Evaluation
Is the G.R.E.A.T. curriculum being delivered as it
was intended? Is G.R.E.A.T. producing its intended
results?
These and other questions are the focus of a
longitudinal evaluation currently being conducted
under the direction of the National Institute of
Justice. Between July 2006 and December 2011,
various components of G.R.E.A.T. are being studied
to determine whether its instructors are (a) adhering
to the suggested time frames, (b) covering the topical
areas specified in the curriculum, (c) adhering to the
overall lessons, and (d) maintaining the quality of the
lessons. In addition, the study will determine whether
G.R.E.A.T. is achieving its stated goals with regard to
the students being taught.
The researchers are conducting their analysis in
seven cities: Albuquerque, New Mexico; Chicago,
Illinois; Garland, Texas; Greeley, Colorado; Nashville,
Tennessee; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Portland,
Oregon. A total of 29 schools and 3,761 students are
involved. A large portion of this analysis includes
administering surveys to G.R.E.A.T. officers,
G.R.E.A.T. supervisors, school personnel, and students.
The results of these surveys will be used to (a) capture
a more complete picture of the current situation, (b)
identify perceptions of the program, (c) identify areas
of improvement for G.R.E.A.T., and (d) identify
strategies that are currently performing well.
The preliminary findings have identified several
situations where officers are failing to deliver
G.R.E.A.T. with sufficient fidelity and quality.
However, the study does indicate that we should feel
generally positive about the program in terms of its
current level of implementation, officer commitment,
and support of school personnel.
UPCOMING TRAININGS
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training (one-week course):
40 Hour
2/25-29/2008 Oklahoma City, OK* Southwest
3/3-7/2008
Orlando, FL*
Southeast
4/7-11/2008
Hampton, VA
Northeast
5/19-23/2008
Philadelphia, PA*
Northeast
6/16-20/2008
La Crosse, WI*
Midwest
7/21-25/2008
Edison, NJ
Northeast
11/17-21/2008
La Crosse, WI*
Midwest
12/8-12/2008
Phoenix, AZ*
Southwest
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training (two-week course):
80 Hour
2/4-15/2008
Portland, OR*
Western
3/3-14/2008
Philadelphia, PA*
Northeast
4/28-5/9/2008
Phoenix, AZ*
Southwest
5/12-23/2008
La Crosse, WI*
Midwest
6/16-27/2008 San Francisco, CA*
Western
7/28-8/8/2008
Orlando, FL*
Southeast
8/11-22/2008
Portland, OR*
Western
8/11-22/2008
Conroe, TX
Southwest
9/8-19/2008
La Crosse, WI*
Midwest
9/22-10/3/2008
Boulder, CO
Southwest
12/1-12/2008
Orlando, FL*
Southeast
G.R.E.A.T. Families Training (GFT)
(two-day course):
7/14-15/2008 St. Louis, MO
Midwest
Visit the G.R.E.A.T. Website for
application:
www.great-online.org
Regional News
Sunnyside
G.R.E.A.T. Officer
springs for makeover for
three local girls
printed with permission from Daily Sun News,
Sunnyside, WA - written by Lynda Jo Gross
Sunnyside Gang Resistance And Education Training
Police Officer Melissa Rodriguez takes her job to
heart, even if it means digging into her own pockets
to show three little girls how fun it is to be pampered.
Rodriguez met the three girls, ages 11, 10, and 9
while working overtime security at a carnival in
Sunnyside.
“They saw me and stayed with me all evening,”
said Rodriguez. She said what struck her about the
girls is they make themselves happy through their
relationship with each other. “They made a bond of
backing each other up,” she said.
Since she’s gotten to know them, she says, “I call
them the entourage. They’re stuck together like little
glue.”
Rodriguez said she wanted the girls to know that if
they stay in school, their future would be bright.
Rodriguez has been working in the school district
since this past fall teaching gang resistance education,
but also simple education, like saying no to drugs and
violence, while emphasizing the importance of goal
setting.
Regional Follow-Up
“Program Vehicles”
Western Region would like to feature
“Program Vehicles” in a future Western
Region Newsletter. Please e-mail your
picture and a history of the vehicle to
Regional Administrative Assistant
Narcisa Delgado-Grubb at :
[email protected]
She said getting to know students has been a good
experience for both law enforcement and the kids. “I
like it because we’re not the enemy, we’re just people.
We’re still an authority figure, but we’re human,
parents and people too.”
She’s a firm believer in making learning fun for the
students, like with the girls.
If it’s not something like a makeover to encourage kids
along, it’s role playing in the classroom with different
risky scenarios, which can be entertaining to watch,
she said.
“If they laugh about it, they’ll remember it,” said
Rodriguez.
None of the three girls come from homes with money
for things like, oh, a trip to the beauty parlor.
Rodriguez took it upon herself to treat the three to a
makeover from Jems.
First, Rodriguez called the Jems owner to make
arrangements, but she also asked if the hairdressers,
Sunnyside locals, could discuss with the girls their
success stories.
Sunnyside P.D.- G.R.E.A.T. Officer Melissa Rodriguez
No Violence Is G.R.E.A.T.
Pomona G.R.E.A.T. Officers-Jesus Cardenas, Karen Callaghan,
Ralph Rivera and Jorge Aleman
Pomona Police Department
.photo courtesy of
Charlotte Hinderlider
Jessica Garcia was one of three girls treated to a
makevover at Jems, courtesy of Gang Resistance And
Education Training Police Officer Melissa Rodriguez.
No Violence Is G.R.E.A.T.
Our featured agency’s G.R.E.A.T. vehicle
is a 1996 Chevrolet Caprice Classic. It was
a Detective unit that was transformed
into the G.R.E.A.T. Program vehicle
in 2005.
All updates were made with
donations from the
Pomona Community Businesses!
Western Region G.R.E.A.T. Graduates
No Violence Is G.R.E.A.T.
Deputies Teach Students About
Gang, Violence
printed with permission from North County Times, CA, from NCTimes.com-written by Stacy Brandt
1,000 students will go through six-week program
VISTA -- Eight schools in the Vista Unified School
District are rolling out a violence-prevention program
officials say they hope will help keep students out of
trouble.
The district is the only one in San Diego County using
the nationwide program, which brings law enforcement
officers into the classroom to teach students skills
intended to steer them away from violence and gangs.
Portland GOT2-718 - 8/20-31/07 Participant Roster
Last
First
Agency
State
Oakland GOT2-727 – 11/5-16/2007 Participant Roster
Last
First
Agency
State
CA
Bellusa
Carter
Jonathan
Bill
Oakland School Police
S. San Francisco Police Department
CA
CA
Hawthorne Police Department
CA
Hill
JuMaal
Oakland Police Department
CA
Scott
San Diego County Sheriff’s Dept.
CA
Hom
Gregory
Oakland School Police
CA
Colley
Robert
Grandview Police Department
WA
Lee
Brian
East Palo Alto Police Department
CA
Darling
Rosanne
Sonoma County District Attorney
CA
Martinez
Mario
Oakland Police Department
CA
Diaz
Timothy
Bakersfield Police Department
CA
Neri
Seth
Oakland Police Department
CA
Dulan
Ronnie
Bakersfield Police Department
CA
Oliver
Mildred
Oakland Police Department
CA
Edwards
Nicholas
Pocatello Police Department
ID
Peterson
Jack
Oakland Police Department
CA
Festerman
William
Morehead City Police Department
NC
Romero
Francisco
Oakland Police Department
CA
Robert
Oakland Police Department
CA
Ames
Scott
Grandview Police Department
WA
Archibald
LaRae
Sonoma County District Attorney
Baldwin
Ryan
Black
Forbus
Erik
Bakersfield Police Department
CA
Sayaphupha
Gonzalez
Jesse
Webb County Sheriff’s Office
TX
Scott
Ja’Son
Oakland Police Department
CA
Gorbet
Zac
Austin ISD Police Department
TX
Shavies
Fred
Oakland Police Department
CA
Weatherly
Alonzo
Oakland Police Department
CA
Williams
Rich
Oakland Police Department
CA
Hancock
Joshua
Pocatello Police Department
ID
Hintz
John
San Diego County Sheriff’s Dept.
CA
Juarez
Richard
Austin ISD Police Department
TX
Lemus
Esther
Sonoma County District Attorney
CA
Lopez
Ofelio
Bakersfield Police Department
CA
Martinez
Masterson
Beverly
Anne
Mount Vernon Police Dept.
Sonoma County District Attorney
NY
CA
Munson
Terry
Tacoma Police Department
WA
Murdock
Rodney
Portland Police Bureau
OR
Myers
Nelsen
Michael
Mike
San Diego County Sheriff’s Dept.
Morgan Hill Police Department
CA
CA
Provencio
Teresa
Los Banos Police Department
CA
Also photographed Trainers- GOT2-718-Kiel
Higgins, Chris Skinner, Jennie Ives,Jim Pitten,
Marcia Harris-Bromfield,John Ridge & Seminar
Supervisor Don Byers: GOT2-727-John Collier,
Angie Moore, Gary Richards, Jim Pitten &
Seminar Supervisor Ron Cash
The Western Region Training Center is proud to say we have
certified 38 Law Enforcement Professionals in the G.R.E.A.T.
curriculum in two 80 hour GOT’s, August and November of 2007.
Included in the August group were four members of the Sonoma
County California District Attorneys Office who will be teaching
G.R.E.A.T. after-school in local Boys and Girls Clubs.
The November GOT was initiated by the Oakland Police
Department and held at their Eastmont Station Policing Facility.
Thanks to the hard work of both G.R.E.A.T.’s National Training
Team and the Participants there are now hundreds of children who
will be developing positive relationships with Law Enforcement
and learning the life skills needed for a more successful future.
No Violence Is G.R.E.A.T.
More than 1,000 fifth- and sixth-grade students are
expected to participate in the weekly Gang Resistance
Education and Training program over the next few
months.
This week, 133 fifth-graders at Casita Center for
Technology, Science and Math became the first in the
district to complete the six-week program.
Nani Martinez, one of the Casita students, said the
lessons she learned have already helped her avoid a fight.
“It really helped me,” she said about the program. “It
stopped me from having a real fist-to-fist fight, because I
thought of the outcome, which we learned in the class.”
The classes are paid for with a $49,000 grant the city of Vista
received through the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance.
That money goes to pay for any overtime the deputies may
have to work, for training they must attend before teaching
the classes and for supplies.
Across the nation, roughly 400 communities have started
these programs with similar grants. The bureau developed the
program in 1991 with the Phoenix Police Department, and
U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Two studies conducted about a decade ago for the U.S.
Department of Justice showed the program didn’t succeed
in keeping kids out of gangs, though it does promote more
positive attitudes toward law enforcement officers and
negative attitudes about gangs.
However, since those studies were finished, organizers have
worked to change the program, bringing in more teacher
involvement and hands-on lessons.
Whether it keeps kids from gangs or not, district
administrators think the program will benefit students by
boosting their self-esteem and social skills, said Gayle Olson,
director of student support services for Vista Unified.
Deputies with the Vista Sheriff’s Station are teaching
the classes, which include lessons about respect, anger
management and conflict-resolution.
“There is a hope that it will keep them out of gangs, but the
more important hope is that if students believe in themselves
and they behave properly, they will do better in school,” she
said. “It’s all related.”
“These lessons are something they can use throughout
their whole life,” said Sgt. Scott Black, who is
overseeing the program for the Sheriff’s Department.
Elizabeth Ball, another fifth-grader at Casita who went
through the program, said it has taught her how better to
handle potentially troublesome situations.
Having the students interact with deputies has the added
benefit of helping the children become more comfortable
around law enforcement officers, Black said.
“If you take a couple of deep breaths and try to think of the
right thing to do if you’re in a bad situation, you’ll work
it out right,” she said. “Screaming, shouting, kicking and
punching usually aren’t the best ways to solve problems.”
“When they see us once a week in the classroom,” he
said, “they’re able to humanize us.”
N V
I G.R.E.A.T.
o iolence
s
City of Pomona Views the G.R.E.A.T.
Program
as a Community Resource
written by Chief Joe Ramero, Pomona Police Department
The City of Pomona which is located in Southern California
confronts many of the same challenges that municipalities
all over the country face. The negative influence of gangs in
schools and in neighborhoods is a concern shared by Pomona
residents and civic leaders alike.
As the fifth largest city in Los Angeles County, the City
of Pomona has seen its share of crime and violence. Much
of the city’s crime problems can be directly linked to the
presence of gangs. Some gangs sprouted up in the 90s due
to the Los Angeles drug trade exporting members into the
suburbs while other Pomona gangs can be traced back to the
late 50s with direct links to local youth living on particular
streets.
No matter the origin or demographics of any particular gang,
the fact remains its criminal existence is bolstered by an
ability to recruit within a community and the presence of
apathy. Former Pomona Police Chief James Lewis helped
bring the G.R.E.A.T. program to the community in 2003
as a means of combating both problems. Chief Lewis had
positive experience with G.R.E.A.T. during his tenure with
the Green Bay Wisconsin Police Department.
His leadership helped introduce the program to Pomona and
laid a foundation that would ensure that four School Resource
Officers earned instructor credentials from G.R.E.A.T.
regional training centers located in Portland, Oregon and
Phoenix, Arizona. In September 2006, Chief Lewis retired
from the Pomona Police Department
Agency Head support for the G.R.E.A.T. program is very
important in any police department and not a beat was
missed when Assistant Chief Joe Romero was selected by
the Pomona City Council to replace Chief Lewis. Romero,
a native son of Pomona, started his career as a Pomona
Police Explorer and enjoys a well-established network of
community support and collaboration. From day one, it was
clear that he wanted Pomona’s G.R.E.A.T. program to have
impact well beyond the classroom.
Romero reminds citizens and police alike that community
ambivalence towards gangs exists because many of the
gang members are children of residents; gangs often
provide protection to residents; residents identify with
gangs because of their own relative’s prior involvement;
and gangs in some instances have become community
institutions. Chief Romero has said repeatedly, “lasting
impact requires commitment from police and good citizens
working together”.
Meeting with his G.R.E.A.T. instructors was one of the
first things that Romero carried out after becoming Chief.
Together, he and the SRO’s formed a vision that Pomona’s
program was to be successful because of commitment and
not merely lesson plans. SRO Ralph Rivera (a former
Pomona middle school teacher) supports this vision and
states, “The kids we teach can sense whether or not we are
really sincere”. SRO Karen Callaghan adds, “Guiding young
lives away from the heartache of gangs is too important not
to care about teaching with honesty and passion. We can’t
be satisfied with just presenting weekly lessons.
The Pomona Unified School District serves over 33,000
students and among its many challenges is providing
quality education within the confines of a tight academic
schedule. Superintendent Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana
is extremely supportive of the G.R.E.A.T. program and
recognizes the value of positive police-student interaction
within the classroom. “She values life learning as well as
book learning” says Sergeant Marcus Perez who supervises
the Pomona Police Department’s School Resource Officer
program and Youth Services Unit.
SRO Jorge Aleman, who like Chief Romero is a product
of the Pomona Unified School system, is a favorite among
students because he is able to share his own experiences
growing up in Pomona. Aleman proudly tells G.R.E.A.T.
students that “every student has the ability to become
successful in life if they stay clear of gangs”. Aleman’s
message is echoed by teachers and principals who want
more for their students.
Chief Joe Romero and Superintendent Thelma Melendez
work closely with the Pomona City Council to incorporate
No Violence Is G.R.E.A.T.
the G.R.E.A.T. program into Pomona’s recently drafted
Youth and Family Master Plan. This plan helps connect
service providers from public, private and faith-based
organizations into a focused effort to change at risk
conditions and attitudes. From dialogue exchanged with
other stakeholders who attend YFMP meetings, the Chief
and Superintendent saw a need to extend the G.R.E.A.T.
program into summer activities being held at the Pomona
Boys and Girls Club. Using newly available State of
California after-school funds the Superintendent lead the
way in making the ideal a reality.
Executive Director Victor Ceceras of the Boys and Girls
Club embraced the offer with open arms and is quick to say,
“The G.R.E.A.T. program fits well into the philosophy and
offerings of the club”. Pomona Police SRO Jesus Cardenas
served as the primary G.R.E.A.T. instructor at the B&G Club
and he seized the opportunity to get other police officers
involved in summer activities with his students. One of
the more popular activities identified by students was an
occasion to play softball with Pomona police officers.
The Pomona Police Department maintains a Community
Engagement Group composed of citizens, business people
and clergy. This group meets monthly with the Chief and
works on providing recreational activities for Pomona’s
teens. Among its members are representatives from
Neighborhood Watch Groups, nearby colleges, and civic
organizations such as Optimists, Kiwanis and Jaycees.
In support of the G.R.E.A.T. program, the Community
Engagement Group has hosted graduation dances for each
class graduating from the GREAT program. Graduates have
also been hosted at swim parties and an overnight camp out
held at Pomona’s Civic Center. Vernon Price who is a citizen
co-chair with the group says, “We think it is important for
the kids to see we stand behind them.” This is particularly
true when it comes to Community Engagement members
attending G.R.E.A.T. graduation ceremonies and extending
their cheers and handshakes to students and parents.
Virginia Madrigal another co-chair with the Engagement
Group believes that parental involvement is vital to
sustaining the lessons taught by police officers and teachers.
She actively recruits parents to get involved in supporting
the G.R.E.A.T. program. In 2006 she and other members
of the Community Engagement Group established a
collection of over 150 DVDs and video tapes at the Pomona
Public Library. The collection offers tips on parenting and
other topics pertinent to children and teens. Access to the
collection is free to parents and guardians of G.R.E.A.T.
graduates.
Photographed above: Assist. Superintendent Richard Martinez,
Superintendent Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana
and Chief Joe Romero
Over the past four years the G.R.E.A.T. program has evolved
into a true community resource. Its impact is not merely
judged by instructional hours or almost 1,700 students
completing the program. Its greater impact is reflected
through community support and respect for its curriculum.
SRO Jesus Cardenas says, “Being able to see the G.R.E.A.T.
logo all over town sends a powerful message”.
Chief Romero looks forward to continued progress in
Pomona and is optimistic that G.R.E.A.T. graduates will
contribute toward his community’s positive change.
The Pomona Police Department remains committed to
G.R.E.A.T. and anyone interested learning more about
Pomona’s efforts can call Chief Romero’s Office at (909)
620-2141 or contact him via email at [email protected].
ca.us