Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 6, MARCH 16, 2009, THE ISLANDER
Dealing with gangs
Continued from Page 1
So now is the time for this commu
nity to come together and deal with
this issue.”
2006 was the planning year for the
GIGS unit, according to Maldonaldo.
The basis of the five year plan for the
unit was developed and that included:
• First year - research and address
budget issue;
• Second year - planning, implemen
tation and the initiation stage;
• Third year - establish the workload
and officers needed and begin officer
selection;
• Fourth year - dealing with prob
lems that have been encountered and
the working component;
• Fifth year - the final phase and
productivity.
Classes on gang awareness and activ
ity were given and a program to raise
interest in a multi agency unit was
begun. In addition to participating in
monthly task force meetings, city police
began to identify financial resources to
provide training for the emit.
Maldonaldo said, “The Brunswick
police took the lead in standards by
looking into and incorporating the RISS
program (Regional Information Shar
ing System) into the unit. RISS will
assist local agencies with networking
issues of an immediate nature. At a
$300 per year membership cost, RISS
is an economical way for police depart
ments who may not have certain equip
ment by participating in the RISS loan
program.”
In 2007, the GIGS name was offi
cially adopted by the unit and a pro
gram to educate the public about gang
activities was initiated. Several gang
training meetings for the general public
were held.
The GIGS unit began working with
the school system to address any gang
related issues. They also improved the
Gang Resistance Education and Train
ing (GREAT) program so that it could
be marketed to the public.
GREAT is a national program. It is
a school-based, law enforcement offi
cer-instructed, classroom curriculum
program. Prevention is the primary
objective, so the program is intended as
an immunization against delinquency,
youth violence and gang membership,
according to the GREAT website.
With five regional training centers in
Wisconsin, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ari
zona and Oregon, GREAT has partner
ships with national organizations like
the Boys and Girls Club of America,
and the National Association of Police
Athletic Leagues.
The training centers provide train
ing to sworn law enforcement officers
to enable them to teach the GREAT
curriculum to elementary and middle
school students nationwide.
The GREAT program consists of four
components: a 13-session middle school
curriculum, which is mandatory, an
elementary school curriculum, a sum
mer program and a families training
program.
While the latter three components
are not mandatory, they do enhance
and serve to reinforce concepts taught
in the core curriculum, according to
GREAT.
The GREAT lessons focus on provid
ing life skills to students to help them
avoid using delinquent behavior and
violence to solve problems.
In addition to GREAT, Maldonaldo
told the commission they were using
the Brunswick police department’s Citi
zen Observer Program (COP) as a col
laborative partner with the GIGS unit.
Also in 2007, the GIGS instituted a
board to assist with the unit’s duties
and began working on training unit
members in the 40-hour gang investi
gator course.
■ REAL ESTATE
and YOU <ppfiW;
By Susan Hardwick
• St. Simons Island
ABR, CRS, E-PRO, GRI
Service • Commitment • Results
BEST RETURN FOR YOU
When planning projects that will bring the best return on your
investment, listen to what the home experts have to say. Recently, they
listed the top 10 home updates, if you want to sell your property.
First, always show your good side — paint, siding, other exterior fixes
typically bring a high rate of return. Add or improve your deck. You can
enjoy it now and it will add value to your home for years to come.
Next, move to the kitchen. If you have an older kitchen with a great
layout, update it by re-facing cabinets and replacing appliances. Change
out counter tops and flooring to complete the total picture. Repair or
replace windows. Work on improving the bathroom to make it appear
larger. Clean out your attic and, most of all, add low-cost landscaping for
color and a “fresh” appearance.
These are not high cost items, but they can truly make a difference
when you are determined to sell. Let me help.
For the best in professional service contact Susan Hardwick, 638-6660 office,-
or 1-877-638-6660, Ext. 625. 638-8782 home,- 912-222-0392 mobile,-
e-mail: susanhardwick@bellsouth.net,web: www.seapalmsrealty.com
In 2008 the GIGS unit began spe
cialized training needed to deal with
street gangs and terrorism in partner
ing districts. Policies and guidelines for
standard operating procedures were
written. Work also began on surveys to
address and meet the evolving needs of
the community for dealing with global,
national, statewide and local terrorism.
The GIGS goals for this year include
getting all agencies to commit at least
two officers to participate with the
emit.
The founding members will look into
implementing a federal task force so
that federal funds might be obtained for
GIGS salaries, overtime, training and
additional resources.
Maldonaldo said, “As certified task
force members, we would have a joint
effort by all jurisdictions and would
save manpower, taxes and revenues
by having multiple agencies assist
each other with investigations, tactics,
arrests, expert witness testimony and
training.”
Gang activities noticed in 2006
included drug sales and use, guns and
violence.
According to Maldonaldo, these three
issues lead to crime - burglaries, robber
ies, murder and assault. In addition
city police have seen an increase in
school truancy and graffiti.
The result is an increase in investi
gations, manpower, overtime, arrests
and the need for increased taxes.
Responding to questions from the
commission, Maldonaldo said between
15 and 30 gangs have been identified in
Brunswick and Glynn although not all
have been confirmed as gangs. Many
are in the drug trade, said Maldonaldo.
Mayor Brian Thompson asked if
the gangs were affiliated with nation
ally known gangs or were they “home
grown.”
Maldonaldo said, “Like most small
communities, the gangs here are mostly
non-traditional gangs. Homegrown. But
we do have some small cells of national
gangs like the Bloods or Crips.”
Thompson said, ‘We need to keep
the light on this issue. We don’t want
to alarm the public, but people need
to be aware of this situation. We need
them to keep their eyes and ears open
because this is not just a police problem
or just a social services problem or just
this commission’s problem. It affects
the whole community and we need
community involvement, we need their
insight.”
Maldonaldo assured Commissioner
Jonathan Williams they, the GIGS
unit, were working with Glynn County
school system resource officers.
We have a good relationship with
the resource officers,” said Maldonaldo,
“Ricky Hilbum is the liaison with them.
We target kids in the 13 to 25 year old
age range. We educate parents to look
for a variety of signs of possible gang
activity such as changes in their child’s
behavior, hanging out with new friends,
unexplained money, pagers and cell
phones the parent hasn’t paid for or
doesn’t know about.”
We are targeting parents,” conclud
ed Maldonaldo, “so they will know what
to look for. We need their support.” □
Frederica Park
Continued from Page 1
park development that only one-third
of the park can be developed for "active
recreation." The remaining area is des
ignated for "passive recreation and con
servation."
Hainley said the proposed master
plan complies with the restriction. The
master plan also depicts the botanical
garden, which is not proposed at this
time.
In addition to the donation of the
park land and funding last year, a
$500,000 donation from part-time Sea
Island residents Jim and Sarah Ken
nedy was made to the SSLT for the
Hampton Spur bike path.
The Hampton Spur is a five mile
expansion of the Island-Wide Trail Sys
tem from the Sea Island Stables to
Hampton Point. The first 1.1 mile was
formally opened last October.
A 1.6 mile expansion to the trail
funded by the SSLT and Glynn County
is expected to break ground this spring.
It will cost $500,000, which will be
split 50/50 by the county and the land
trust, and complete the trail half-way
to Hampton, passing in front of the new
Frederica Park.
The SSLT hopes to raise $1 million
to complete the trail to the entrance to
Hampton. □
Calendar
Through Monday April 6 "Augus
ta to the Golden Isles" Watercolors
by Ann Marie Dalis on display in the
Southeast Georgia Health System
Outpatient Center Art Gallery at the
Brunswick Campus. □
Property Sales
on St. Simons and Sea Island
are brought to you weekly as a courtesy of
Ranee Braswell
REALTOR
f§j
912-638-5526
rancebraswell@bellsouth.net
Transfer Seller
Tax
Buyer Location/Legal
^^Jescrijjtion/Address
St Simons
S 138.00 Downey, Albert P
Purvis, Janet M & Richard KLot 10, West Point Lake,
**102 Hart Dr
1 Warranty Deeds for Sea Island & St. Simons for week ending 3/20/2009