CITY OF HALLANDALE BEACH

MEMORANDUM

DATE:                        February 2, 2009

TO:                 D. Mike Good, City Manager

FROM:            Thomas A. Magill, Chief of Police

SUBJECT:     Consideration of Approval of Submission of a Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Grant Application to the United States Department of Justice

PURPOSE:

To request Commission authorization to submit a grant application for a Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) grant to the U.S. Department of Justice.

BACKGROUND:

The G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance Education and Training) Program is a school based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum.  Its primary objective is prevention and is intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership.  The G.R.E.A.T. lessons focus on providing life skills to students to help them avoid delinquent behavior and violence to solve problems. 

DISCUSSION:

Gulfstream Middle School has approximately 400 students enrolled for the 2008/2009 school year and the number is expected to increase since the enrollment at Hallandale Elementary is at 1,200 students.  Gulfstream Middle School is in its fourth year of existence and its second year with a School Resource Officer.  Although some students have received the DARE curriculum when they attended Hallandale Elementary School, there is currently no follow-up program to educate the students about the dangers of gangs and drugs at Gulfstream Middle School.   Hallandale High School has an active Crime Watch Program and the Criminal Justice Career Program, an International Affairs/Business Studies Magnet Program.  With the addition of the G.R.E.A.T. Program, all three school levels will have the opportunity to receive life skills to help them avoid delinquent behavior and violence to solve their problems.

Staff will utilize funding from the G.R.E.A.T. grant to target all students in 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grades at Gulfstream Middle School.  Our School Resource Officer will be certified through an approved training program to deliver the 13-lesson curriculum to students.  G.R.E.A.T.’s violence prevention/life skills competency curriculum helps students avoid destructive behaviors.

Funding will also be used to institute a summer education and recreation program to continue to build on the school-based program and reinforce the 13-lesson cognitive, social, and self-esteem-building lessons.

Due to the limited amount of time available when staff received information about the grant opportunity and the application deadline of January 14, 2009, staff submitted an electronic grant application online contingent upon City Commission approval at the first available commission meeting date.  Staff requested $23,500 in grant funding for personnel training and time and a summer program, utilizing in-kind services of staff and existing programs as the local match valued at $200,000.

RECOMMENDATION:

The City Commission:

1) Authorize the submittal of a Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Grant Application to the United States Department of Justice; and

2) If approved, authorize the City Manager to execute the funding agreement and implement the project in the best interest of the City.

 Reviewed:

_______________________________                                                          __________

D. Mike Good, City Manager                                                                           Date

_____Approved                _____Disapproved                _____Hold for Discussion

Comments: