Today 36 police officers attended the Gang Resistance Education and Training program at the Biltmore. We reported on the 145 primary and high school students who graduated from the 13 week program in June of last year. But today the main focus was on the police officers - further training them to impact the lives of more Belizean youth. Coordinator of the training Ron Doyle explained the dual benefits of this program today.
Courtney Weatherburne reporting
Many at risk youths grow up with scenes like these as their defining image of police in the community.
But as part of the Gang Resistance Education and Training Program, these police officers are trying to change that.
Although they are dressed in their uniforms they are not here in the capacity of police officers - but as educators.
Ron Doyle, Coordinator
"GREAT is the Gang Resistance Education And Training program. Its design to help children learn the skills and attitudes that they need in order to successfully stay away from crime, delinquency, violence and gang involvement. What we are doing here is training police officers to go into schools and work with children in their natural environment to learn what they need to do in order to avoid those problems. It changes the officers, it changes the children and we've seen over and over again that schools that are operating this program, the children are better behaved, they are more respectful and as a result, they are better able to learn because they are able to focus on what they are supposed to be focusing on."
So while the GREAT program is geared towards deterring students from gang life, it will also improve the efficiency of these community friendly officers.
Douglas Hyde, Public Relations Coordinator
"These are the officers who are the frontline officers, who works with schools, with communities, with people on a day to day basis and so having them to participate in this GREAT program means a lot for us within the department. But also, essentially for them, also to be part of a training that is very important within the police department."
Sgt. Franzene Solano, Station Manager, Dangriga
"For me, this would be my first time going in schools. Nevertheless, my colleagues in Dangriga have taught GREAT lessons at various primary schools. In Dangriga, I have seen that the children are very receptive of the program as well with their teachers."
PC Gonzalo Correa, CIB
"This program will be helpful for the youths, how to go about and dealing with this disease that is affecting our city which is gangs and this program will be very helpful."
About 6,000 primary school students have benefited from this program.
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