FEATURING GUEST SPEAKER • RON BARRETT • GANG PREVENTION COORD., ALBANY, NY
TOPICS TO INCLUDE:
THE DANGERS OF URBAN GANGS • WEAPONS IN SCHOOLS • YOUTH GANGS AND TECHNOLOGY
Gang Prevention - Gangs
Gang Prevention-Ron 'Cook' Barrett-"A Wanna Be Is A Gonnabe"
In this video Detective Williams is interviewed by Toronto Police Service School Crime Stoppers Constable Scott Mills at the 2007 Georgia Gang Invesigators Association training conference at St Simons's Island, Georgia. The video was uploaded to YouTube and watched live during Cst Mills' presentation on 'Using the Internet As a Violence Prevention Tool' lecture. The conference delegates gave Detective Williams a standing ovation for his commitment to youth engagement and community safety.
Detective Richard Williams of the Atlanta Public Schools Detectives Unit was shot in the back at a school by a student and left paralyzed in the late 1980's. He continues to do his job with gun, gang and violence prevention in the schools.
OUR MISSION
The mission of this website is to educate youth, parents, educators, social workers, clergy and all members of the community about the risks and consequences of being involved with a criminal street gang. Our ultimate goal is the prevention of youth, one at a time, from becoming involved with a gang.
The website strives to be a forum for the ‘Voices of Youth’. The webmasters strive to document the real feelings of youth on the prevention of gun and gang violence through various mentoring programs, both formal and informal. These testimonials are anonymously posted on the website with no mention of name, school, neighborhood or affiliation.
The idea is the real ‘Voices of Youth’ can be safely heard by the policy makers of our cities, provinces and country through a website dedicated to the prevention of gangs.
NOtoGANGS.org welcomes the opportunity to dialogue in any format with interested contributors, and is striving to create healthy relationships with youth and agencies working with youth in our communities. If your agency would like to advertise a positive community event on our website, or advertise the existence of your program, please contact us and we will post your information free of charge. All voices and opinions are welcomed.
Lil Nikki works alongside community members like Melerena Back from the St Regis Mohawk Tribe. 'Mel' operates an alcohol/chemical dependency prevention and intervention program, and is extremely committed to making her community strong and safe. Programs like Mel's are extremely important, not just in small communities, but in larger centres in Canada, where services like these are traditionally underfunded and under valued. For more information on Mel's program, contact her at 518-358-2967 or by e-mail mel.back@srmt-nsn.gov
For information on using the Internet as a violence prevention tool and positive engagement with youth and the community using social networking sites like MySpace.com and Facebook.com and video sharing sites like Youtube.com, tune into CKON 97.3FM radio with Reen Dick and Constable Scott Mills, Toronto Crime Stoppers School Officer/Legal Graffiti Art on March 25, 2008
"Lil' Nikki" - Akwasasne Mohawk School PoliceOfficer, Constable Nicole Miller, explains the 'Positive Ticket' program she runs with the local youth. Youth are rewarded for positive acts of kindness with 'tickets' issued by the police. When the kids collect so many tickets they are eligible for a prize of an iPod!
Lil Nikki stresses that her most effective 'weapon' as a police officer is her communication skills, and that she carries her firearm and a taser as a last resort.
Akwesasne is lucky to have a dedicated youth officer like 'Lil' Nikki'. They are also lucky to have dedicated community members like Reen Dick and Mel Back. (see below)
