Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato today announced the continued growth of the G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance Education and Training) Program within the Office of the Ocean County Prosecutor and partnering county law enforcement departments. G.R.E.A.T. is a school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum designed to prevent delinquency, violence and gang membership.

This past Friday (3/20), the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Toms River Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department collaborated to graduate the entire fifth grade class, approximately 200 children, of the Toms River Walnut Street Elementary School.

“Law enforcement must take proactive measures to prevent the spread of crime and violence,” stated Prosecutor Coronato. “The G.R.E.A.T. Program does that for those we hold most precious – our children. I commend the members of my Office and participating departments for working tirelessly to bring the program to so many of our area schools.”

OCPO brought the Six week program to Ocean County Schools in 2011 and have been continuously working cooperatively with other Ocean County law enforcement agencies to expand the program locally in an effort to reach as many children as possible. Detective Sandra Rodriguez of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, the Lakewood Police Department and others have continued to implement the program successfully in Lakewood over the past three years. In another district, Detective Sergeant Renee Nauyoks of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and others taught students last year at Toms River Intermediate East, West and Hooper Avenue Elementary Schools. In the coming weeks, OCPO will again partner with the Toms River Police Department and others beginning a new class on April 1st at West Dover and Washington Street Elementary Schools.

Those wishing more Information about the G.R.E.A.T. program can go to: www.great-online.org.

[TLS]