| Setting up a senior's academy |
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| Written by Bob Worcester |
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The Tequesta Police Department in Florida recently conducted its first annual “Senior Academy.” The Tequesta Police Department is a small, yet progressive department that services approximately 5,000 full-time residents. Police officers know that senior citizens make up a growing percentage of our demographics and are frequently targeted for crime because of their age and vulnerability, so the decision was made to start a “Senior Academy.” Our department is fortunate to have a chief, William McCollom, who’s very progressive. But any administrator, when looking at a proposal, will want to see a comprehensive list of costs and benefits. Costs include personnel issues such as overtime, facility costs, and the cost of supplies and refreshments. Thanks to a large commitment by our officers’ willingness to flex their hours, our department was able to accomplish our goal for less than $1,000. The next thing needed is a facility. Town hall council chambers and departmental training rooms are good options, although their use can be disruptive to daily operations. Another good option is a local church fellowship hall. It met all of our needs and came free of charge, thanks to our department chaplain who is the church pastor. There are several things to be considered when considering the location for the event: how much space will be needed; is there a need for a refrigerator or a place to heat food; does the facility have tables to use for writing; are there rental costs for the building; and does the facility have microphones, speakers and the necessary a/v equipment for instructional purposes. The next thing to consider is the academy schedule. We found for seniors, afternoons between lunch and dinner works best. This eliminates the need for the department to provide a meal and allows them to return home before dark for their evening routines. We held our Academy on Monday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM for four weeks. The last day of class is the Academy graduation ceremony followed by a small social event. The last, and probably the most important thing to be taken into consideration is the curriculum for the academy. This is a time for your department to shine. The first night sets the tone of the academy. Consider including an honor guard presentation of the colors, as well as a display of departmental assets with key personnel explaining their usefulness to the agency. A check of your personnel will find that, even in a small agency like ours, there are a lot of talented people willing to share their expertise. Additionally, there are many outside agencies that are willing to give of their time to educate the public on safety issues. Some of these agencies include the local chapter of the area’s agency on aging and the Legal Aid Society. Some topics to discuss include domestic violence, legal aid for seniors, fire safety, patrol division make-up and responsibilities, identity theft, internet fraud, 2-1-1 telephone line services if available to your area, dispatch and 9-1-1 services and nursing home abuse and neglect. Next comes what I thought was going to be the hard part – getting enough people to come. This is going to require leg work. Use your connections with the largest newspaper in your area. But be careful. I wound up with my mug on the front page of the neighborhood section with a full one-page article devoted to the program. Also, we got the word out by including a flyer with the local water bills and met personally with some of our local homeowners associations and retirement communities. Speaking about the program in uniform at services in the church where the program would be held helped tremendously. We were also able to enroll them into the Academy on the spot after the service. Through good advertising, a lot of word of mouth and a great department-wide effort we wound up with almost 60 graduates. By tailoring a program to suit your community’s needs, you will develop a program that is rewarding for yourself, your agency and your community. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites          Comments (0)
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