|
TRIAD is fairly new to the Lexington area. Endorsed  by the U.S. Department of Justice, TRIAD operates on local, state, regional and national levels to address concerns of senior citizens and the whole community.
Law enforcement agencies state that many citizens are afraid to report their victimization because they are worried of possible retaliation by the offender or are just "plain embarrassed" to talk about it.
TRIAD focuses on reducing unwarranted fear of crime and improving the quality of life for seniors. TRIAD is flexible and is tailored to meet the needs of each community.
TRIAD:
- is cooperation between law enforcement and senior citizens
- strives to reduce criminal victimization of older persons, also all age groups
assesses the needs and concerns of older citizens and also includes all age groups
- leads to a broad dialogue on safety and security issues
- is the link with elderly members of the community combines sense and imagination
TRIAD is simple and it works!
The goal of TRIAD is to make this a safer community for all age groups.
What will TRIAD accomplish?
The local law enforcement department will take a leadership role in promoting recognition of a unique challenge as well as the important source of support for law enforcement that the older person presents.
For these reasons, officers shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the rights and protection guaranteed by law are available for the older citizens.
The department will seek and use appropriate community resources to:
Promote cooperative expansion of crime prevention within the community.
Provide educational programs to reduce fear and the opportunity for victimization.
Involved older persons as volunteers in support roles in this process.
Crime, harassment, and circumstances resulting in fear are serious. It is recognized that crimes against the elderly may be subtle or hidden. Some are victimized by family members, health care providers or fraudulent business practices. Such cause some older persons to be reluctant to fully participate in the activities of community and society.
The Lexington Police and Dawson County Sheriff's Office will maintain an advisory council whose membership will consist of older leaders of the community representing various segments of the area. Additional membership is welcome. This council will be named S.A.L.T. (Seniors and Lawmen Together).
The purpose of this council shall be to advise the Chief Executive Offices of law enforcement of the needs and concerns of the older persons. It shall be a forum for communications and discussion between law enforcement and older Americans. The council may develop its own agenda, focusing on crime and security-related concerns of older persons.
With the combined efforts of various law enforcement agencies, TRIAD, Crime Stoppers, Neighborhood Watch, and AARP, we will be able to make a positive impact on the entire community but it will require the support of all citizens in the Lexington area.
|
