Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership (G.R.I.P)

ABOUT OC GRIP

The award-winning Orange County Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership (OC GRIP) is a law enforcement partnership that identifies at-risk youth and aims to increase school attendance and decrease gang activity.

Cities

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has formed OC GRIP and GRIP II committees and partnerships with the police departments from the Cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in Dana Point, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Stanton, and the unincorporated areas of North Orange County and the Orange County Probation Department.

Awards

OC GRIP has received the Cities, Counties and Schools Partnership Award, the and California State Association of Counties Challenge Merit Award, and the California School Boards Association Golden Bell Award for working with 42 schools on gang suppression, interventions for at-risk students, gang information forums, and parent/ faculty education.

Curfew and Truancy Sweeps

Hundreds of police officers coordinate Curfew Sweeps in areas with a high volume of gang and/or criminal activity and all gang injunction safety zones to prevent minors from being victims of or participating in gang crimes. The program has rescued children as young as 6 years old roaming the streets past curfew.

OC GRIP teams consisting of deputy district attorneys, police officers, school principals and administrators go to the home of students with excessive truancy problems or 10 or more unexcused days of absence and conduct Truancy Interventions for students and parents to decrease truancy and support positive student attendance. Students are taken to school in a patrol car and counseled with their parents by the intervention team. Parents are prosecuted if their children’s truancy problems continue.

Angels, Chivas USA, and Ford Incentive

Students identified by OC GRIP as being high-risk for gang exposure and activity are challenged to complete the school year with improved attendance and grades, no suspensions, and involvement in positive after-school activities.

The end reward is attending a Los Angeles Angels (Angels) and/or Chivas USA game as a VIP guest. The Angels donate 1,400 tickets and Chivas USA donate over 4,500 tickets each year in support of the anti-gang efforts. Ford Motor Company employees mentor over 100 OC GRIP kids.

Parent Greeter Program

More than 1,500 parents have teamed up with law enforcement to form an anti-gang Parent Greeter Program at 42 Orange County elementary and middle schools, resulting in a sizable decrease in gang presence and graffiti.

This program empowers parents to take responsibility for their schools by proactively taking a stand against gang crime. Parent greeters deter gang members and ensure students are abiding by the school dress code.

Giving Orange County's youth a chance to thrive

The OC GRIP program has seen tremendous success in a short period of time. It has proven extremely effective in the increase of school attendance rates and average test scores. It has brought about significant reduction of school expulsion rates and even helped to reduce crime rates in neighborhoods surrounding targeted schools.