Madera Unified Safety Department is taking a proactive stand against youth gang involvement through the Outreach, Protection, Training, Intervention, Opportunities, Nurturing, Support (OPTIONS) Program. The initiative empowers students with guidance, supportive relationships, and real-life examples to help them make safer choices.
In 2023, the Safety Department hired Hector Garibay as the Gang Intervention Specialist. A former Homicide Detective and Special Investigations Unit member with the Madera Police Department, Mr. Garibay brought extensive experience in gang prevention. He helped rebuild intervention efforts that had paused during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under our leadership, the Safety Department partnered with the Madera Police Department, Madera Sheriff’s Department (County Jail), and the Juvenile Probation Department to develop OPTIONS. The program is offered to students identified by school administrators or Safety Department staff, referred by parents, have received gang notices, or have had at least one one-on-one intervention with the Gang Intervention Specialist.
OPTIONS is an intensive one-day program designed to give students a clear understanding of the consequences of poor choices. Students tour the local jail to see the impact of decisions firsthand. They then hear from a keynote speaker, often a former youth offender who made similar choices but has since turned their life around. Over lunch, students meet with the Chief of Police, who emphasizes seeing officers as humans who are genuinely trying to make a difference in their lives while supporting the community. The day concludes with a Q&A session, and each student completes an evaluation of their experience.
The program reinforces the importance of making wise decisions, dispels the myth of a “glamorous gang lifestyle”, and emphasizes that gang involvement carries real consequences.
We are encouraged by the results of OPTIONS. To date, 48 students have completed the program, and we look forward to welcoming more participants in the upcoming sessions this school year. Comparing behavior before and after the program shows a 72 percent improvement in school discipline and behavior at home. We are proud of our students’ growth and remain committed to providing opportunities that guide them toward positive choices and brighter futures.