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Does Vernon Hills Really Have a Gang Problem?
The answer isn’t as simple as "yes" or "no." There are gang members living in Vernon Hills and surrounding towns, we do have gang activity which occurs in town, and the police definitely have a problem with that! To say we have the problems of larger, inner cities would be grossly overstating our situation.
By in large, the types of problems we see from gang activity are property crimes, nuisance-type calls (disturbances, loitering, etc.), and criminal defacement (graffiti). With that being said, we have had gang violence in our immediate area, so anything is possible.
It is because of our knowledge of these types of activities being on the rise that the VHPD has initiated our Gang Lifestyle Prevention Program for the sixth and seventh graders of Hawthorn School District 73. Officer Jim Levicki, a former D.A.R.E. Instructor, researched the many gang education programs available, and settled on a program called G.A.T.E. (Gang Awareness Training and Education). This program seemed like a good fit for the area, since it enables instructors to customize what they teach and how they approach the lessons to ensure the plan fits their particular community’s needs.
In September 2006, the VHPD began lecturing to the 6th and 7th graders of both Hawthorn middle schools. This program addresses the lifestyle of gang members, so it can apply to any student, regardless if they are "at risk" to be in a street gang or not. One can obviously see how these types of lifestyle choices can be detrimental to today’s youths and cause them to fall into the trap of not fully developing their potential. From there, the true tragedy begins.
To view the current curriculum, click here.
If you have any questions or would like any additional information regarding this program, please feel free to contact the Crime Prevention Unit by phone (847-247-4888) or by e-mail.
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