Law
enforcement officers and older citizens may not often have the opportunity to
interact and get to know each other. The elderly may only have contact with
officers when there is a problem -- not always a time for the officer or the
senior to appreciate each other's fine points and a possible time for
impatience, misunderstanding and miscommunication.
This
endeavor is intended to implement a comprehensive crime prevention and
recognition program for older persons. It will serve as a nucleus of
communication, services and training designed to enhance the quality of life for
our senior citizens. This approach will provide an atmosphere of encouragement
to seniors who are victims of crimes through counseling and victims'
compensation referral; identify seniors and their individual needs through
one-on-one law enforcement contact and the completion of crime prevention
surveys; and, provide training to law enforcement personnel in proper techniques
and sensitivities in dealing with the elderly.
To
provide better law enforcement service to our community's older residents and to
make senior citizen-law enforcement officer encounters a more satisfying
experience for both, this program will arrange for each to learn about some
characteristics, roles and limitations of the other. Employing the theory that
familiarity and education lead to better understanding, the following are our
intended goals:
1. Enhance the quality of life for senior citizens in Limestone County
through improving the level of service to elderly victims by encouraging
self-reporting of offenses; offering support services which may include
counseling; and, providing assistance and referrals for monetary assistance
through crime victims' compensation.
2. Identify seniors and their individual needs through one-on-one contact
with law enforcement, and the completion of assessment surveys. This will
encompass existing support groups such as AARP as well as organizing local
volunteers to assist in the implementation of this program.
3. Train seniors in criminal activity recognition specifically dealing
with frauds and scams, purse snatching, pick pocketing, theft and burglary, gang
activity, drug sales, elder abuse, etc., as well as in other areas such as
disaster preparedness. Support "neighbor" watch and encourage seniors
to watch out for one another, banding together to achieve their common goal.
Provide a means of reporting criminal activities to law enforcement and a means
of compiling this intelligence for follow-up by the respective agency. Utilize
the exchange of information between law enforcement and older persons, to reduce
unwarranted fear of crime.
4. Solicit seniors to establish a means of training law enforcement
personnel in necessary techniques and sensitivities in dealing with senior
citizens. Encourage seniors to utilize this "sounding board" to
establish what they wish to be recognized as appropriate behavior and response.
Incorporate input into necessary policy and procedures. Train seniors in current
law enforcement trends and approaches. Familiarize them with present procedures
to promote a better understanding of law enforcement functions.
The greatest asset of this project will be an enhanced quality of life for our senior citizens. The results will be measured in their comfort; in feeling safe at home; in knowing that they matter; in participating in their own lives and destiny; and, in assisting each other as well as their law enforcement officials in areas of mutual concern.