137 lines
7.3 KiB
Plaintext
137 lines
7.3 KiB
Plaintext
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May 1990
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POLICE PRACTICES 1
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ELDERWATCH
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In the summer of 1986, because of a substantial increase in
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the number of crimes directed against the elderly, officers of
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the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Police Department met with various citizens
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groups to discuss possible solutions to this problem. Another
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area of concern expressed at these meetings was the fact that
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many elderly citizens were not receiving the help they needed
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because they lacked the information and resources to assist
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themselves. As a result, the Tulsa Police Department, in
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conjunction with several community service agencies, initiated
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Elderwatch, a program designed specifically for Tulsa's elderly
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citizens.
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The goal of Elderwatch is to reduce crimes committed against
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the elderly and provide community services to improve their
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quality of life and to reduce their fear of crime. In order to
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reach the senior population, police officers and community
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service representatives visit the elderly in their homes,
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informing them of the program and what services are available to
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them.
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ORIENTATION
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Prior to initiating the program, the Tulsa Senior Services
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Outreach Agency, one of the community services group active in
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Elderwatch, sponsored a 2-day seminar for police officers to
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inform them of the available services and how to contact these
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services. The officers were also advised of the emotional and
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psychological aspects of aging that may affect the ways in which
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the elderly interact with others.
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PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
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Once the orientation was completed, the police department
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issued a press release to notify the public of the program's
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existence. The press release was also a means to advise senior
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citizens of the program's purpose and to inform them of the
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upcoming visits by police officers and community service
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representatives.
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Then, police officers and volunteers set out on a
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door-to-door canvass of neighborhoods and apartment complexes
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having a high concentration of senior citizens. By going door to
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door, they were able to assess the living conditions of the
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elderly to determine if they were being neglected, exploited, or
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abused. They were also able to determine if an elderly citizen
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was in need of a particular service that was readily available
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through one of the various citizens groups.
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In addition, the canvassers voluntarily offered to check the
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security of each residence, as well as to provide crime
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prevention tips. Through donated funds, they were able to see to
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it that deadbolt locks and other security devices were installed
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in those residences lacking the necessary security measures, if
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the senior citizen so desired.
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Officers conduct the canvass in uniform, driving marked
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patrol units. Also, they are the ones who initiate conversations
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with the elderly; volunteers accompany the officers to help them
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answer questions and fill out forms. If an elderly person is
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found to have a specific problem, the officer or volunteer makes
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a notation on a preprinted checklist and then turns this form
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into the Elderwatch coordinator at the conclusion of the canvass.
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It is the coordinator's responsibility to contact the
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appropriate agency and also to check back with the individual at
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a later date to ensure that any problem encountered has been
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resolved. The coordinator also forwards all Elderwatch reports
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to the police communications center and records the number of
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persons contacted and the number of referrals made.
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ELDERWATCH FORMS
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To complement the Elderwatch Program, the Tulsa Police
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Department developed a database to record information submitted
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voluntarily by senior citizens. Along with basic personal
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information (name, address, telephone number), the forms record
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the names of the individual's doctors and the hospitals with
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which they are associated; any chronic illnesses; and the names,
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addresses, and telephone numbers of nearest relatives or
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neighbors and whether they have a key to the residence. The
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individual is also asked to note any assistance received from a
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social service agency.
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These Elderwatch forms are either filled out by the police
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officer or volunteer during the door-to-door canvass or left with
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the individual to be mailed later to the police department. The
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completed forms are sent to the police department's
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Communications Division so that the information can be entered
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into the Computer Aided Dispatching System. Once entered into
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the database, this information can be retrieved and then provided
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to emergency service personnel if they are called to the
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residence to render assistance.
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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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Recognizing it is impossible to reach everyone who needs
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assistance through a neighborhood canvass, a utility company
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offered to distribute over 4,000 ElderWatch forms with payment
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notices. Also, the forms, accompanied with a pamphlet
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explaining the program, were left at locations where the elderly
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frequent, such as churches, community centers, and nutrition
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sites.
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Use of the media can keep the entire community informed of
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the program and gain support for it. Media coverage can generate
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an interest that would be difficult to achieve by any other
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means.
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It is also important for the police department to develop a
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good working relationship with those agencies providing services
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to the elderly. Not only do they provide the materials for the
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information packages distributed to the elderly, but they offer
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invaluable assistance to officers when dealing with a specific
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problem that affects the elderly.
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CONCLUSION
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In every American city, no matter what the size, there is a
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segment of the elderly community that is in need of assistance.
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The Elderwatch Program, with its neighborhood canvasses,
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community involvement, and media coverage, helps the police
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department address the daily needs of many of Tulsa's elderly.
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The program has been able to give them a better quality of life
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by reducing crime and making them more secure in their homes and
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their neighborhoods.
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____________
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Information on the Elderwatch Program was provided by Lt.
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Bob Chance of the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Police Department.
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