CITY CONSIDERS PROGRAM AIMED AT HELPING YOUNGSTERS RESIST GANGS

Cape Girardeau City Councilman J.J. Williamson picked up information at the 60th annual Missouri Municipal League meeting in Springfield, Mo., that he felt compelled to share with city Police Chief Howard "Butch" Boyd Jr..

Williamson, a former highway patrolman, attended a seminar on youth violence and came away impressed enough to want to bring a program called GREAT, which stands for Gang Resistance And Training, to Cape Girardeau.

Boyd is also convinced the GREAT program would be beneficial to Cape Girardeau and the surrounding area.

The police chief became familiar with the GREAT program a year ago. At that time it was felt there was not enough money in the budget to finance such a project.

"I think with the funds available from the crime bill we could get that in our budget in the future," said Boyd.

Boyd said he could save some money if he sent officers who already work with the DARE program to the GREAT training program. "There are some similarities with the training in both programs, so it would be easier for DARE officers to teach the program," said Boyd.

Boyd said DARE is a drug-resistance program. However, GREAT involves building positive peer-group methods and gang reduction.

The program is taught by uniformed police officers to seventh- and eighth-graders. Boyd said the GREAT program became popular within the Phoenix, Glendale, Tempe and Mesa, Ariz., police departments.

"This got started in larger cities, because that's where a lot of the gangs were from," said Boyd. "Of course, we now know that the problem today is a little different than it was a couple of years ago."

The teaching strategies and methods are sensitive to the emotional and mental changes a seventh-grader is experiencing. GREAT students are provided an opportunity to discover for themselves the ramifications of gang violence based on exercises and interactive learning.

One of the lessons discusses the difference between a crime and a delinquent act, another focuses on the rights of a victim, and others discuss culture, prejudice and conflict resolution.

There are some options on extended activities that allow the students to apply what they learned in the classroom. Both the police officer and teacher enhance efforts to rid the community and school of gang influence.

There is also a summer follow-up project. The summer phase involves classroom work and extracurricular activities. This is designed to not only reinforce the eight-week program but provide GREAT students with the opportunity to enhance self-esteem as well as social and mental skills.