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Columbia County Sheriff's Office
Senior Citizen Outreach Program |
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Realizing that Senior Citizens may at times feel uncomfortable approaching a law enforcement officer, or calling and traveling to a police station to obtain information or to report a crime, the Sheriff's Office has developed a partnership with the Columbia County Office for the Aging. This partnership will allow Deputy Sheriffs to become a familiar person and more accessible at locations familiar to senior citizens.
Whenever possible, the Resident Deputy Sheriff who covers the area where a particular Office for the Aging Food and Friendship Center is located, will be assigned to this detail so that they may become a familiar person to the nutrition center participants. The Resident Deputy Sheriff will attend the two hour lunch period on the same day of the same week, each month.
The Resident Deputy Sheriff will be located in a common area at the centers. Brochures and information will be available highlighting many issues such as Identity Theft, Handicapped Parking, Adult Abuse, Home Security, Mail Fraud and various Scams. The Resident Deputy Sheriff will be available for general interaction and conversation or to address questions on issues of a law enforcement nature. Should the information to a question not be readily available the Resident Deputy Sheriff will follow-up by obtaining the information and contacting the person as soon as possible.
Should a senior citizen have an issue that requires immediate attention, The Resident Deputy Sheriff will take the appropriate action, by handling the issue him/herself or contacting another Sheriff's patrol or Criminal Investigator if necessary. Whenever possible a liaison from the Office for the Aging or senior volunteer will assist with the case if it involves a senior citizen.
In addition to having a regular monthly presence at the centers and in conjunction with the Office for the Aging, other informational seminars may be conducted as needed at any location within Columbia County.
When the location of the Food and Friendship Center is located within an area that is covered by a local Police Department, that agency will be invited to have one of its members participate in the nutrition center program.
Resident deputy Sheriff's will attend meetings and events from other senior citizen organizations upon requests.
This program will be instituted as "work in progress" and continually reviewed and evaluated to allow change as needed. The Sheriff's Office will make every effort to ensure that senior citizens in Columbia County will have access to all the resources of this Office including the law enforcement, communications, civil and corrections information and services.
Copyright 2006 Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Hudson, NY 12534