By Teresa A. Franco
Sep 03, 2010
As a Senior Outreach worker in town, seniors often complain to Brenda Mangolis about phone scams. This is only one concern seniors face in today’s world, so the Randolph Police Department is starting up a program to prevent seniors from those incidents.
Mangolis was one of a handful of senior citizen representatives to attend the Police Department’s first Senior Outreach Program meeting Aug. 25 at town hall.
Police Chief William Pace, Police Sergeant Richard Hughes (the group’s administrator), Detective Melissa McCormick, Police Officer Kristen Emberley and Police Chaplin Leland Clarke fielded questions and collected ideas from the small crowd.
“We are concerned about crimes against the elderly,” Pace said. “We want to get input from people in town. We want to see what programs you want.”
Hughes spoke of several programs the department is forming to protect senior citizens. One such program is called Tracking All Grandparents and Special Needs (TAGS). Through the program, elderly citizens with conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease are given ID bracelets with their information. So, Hughes said, individuals found disoriented and wandering in the streets will be able to be identified.
The department also is planning to update its database of seniors, Hughes said.
Leaders also will form the Triad program among the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, local safety officials and senior citizens.
Many of the attendees offered some suggestions. A few suggested the police department hold workshops about how seniors should respond to suspicious calls.
For the Outreach Program to work, Hughes stressed the importance of getting feedback from the community for it to work properly.
“We’re all working for the same goal, but no one can do it by themselves,” he said.
A couple of those in attendance said they walked away from the meeting feeling positive.
Mangolis said she felt confident that the outreach program would be effective.
“I think this is going to be a wonderful thing to help our seniors,” she said. “It’s something we really need.”
Mangolis said she has often sought assistance from police in the past for issues with seniors in town. She said phone scams in particular have been “doing a number” on seniors in the community. One woman, she said, paid thousands and thousands of dollars, thinking she had won the lottery.
Council on Aging President Dot Sullivan said many seniors are frightened when they see a police cruiser going down the street. She said hopes the Outreach Program will change that attitude. In addition, Sullivan said she is happy about the triad.
“I’m so pleased the triad is going to be revitalized again,” she said. “Triads are excellent programs.”
After the meeting, Hughes and Pace said they have high hopes for the program.
Hughes said he is looking forward to working with the senior organizations in town. He said the police department is fortunate to have a police chief that supports the program.
“I’m lucky enough we have a supporting chief who is a 100 percent behind the program,” he said, adding that his colleagues involved with the program are “professional and dedicated”
Pace said the meeting was only “the first step.”
“Our Senior Outreach is going to be one of the priorities of the police department,” he said.
SOURCE: The Wicked Local
_________________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
No comments:
Post a Comment