New Program to Teach Older Adults About Police Work

The Whitney Senior Center in St. Cloud, Minn., has launched a new program to give seniors a glimpse into the work of police officers, reports WJON . The eight-week Senior Citizens Police Academy will showcase key aspects of police work specifically tailored to older citizens, including patrol procedures, use of force, canine officers, ethics, and more. "We sat down a few months ago with the folks at Whitney and asked, 'What if we did something specifically directed toward the aging population?'" noted St. Cloud Police Sergeant Tad Hoeschen. "We'll do it here at Whitney, and do more lecture-based, informative sessions where they can view some demonstrations and participate in discussions, but not necessarily do anything physical." The Whitney's Director of Aging Services Laura Hood added that crime and safety are issues for many people she sees daily — and seniors, a population often victimized by financial scammers, might not necessarily know when and how to contact police when they should. "A really large goal of this program is to teach them how to report, and introduce them to the officers who might show up at their doors when they do," she said. Hood also explained that the program will seek to demystify crime statistics and help seniors gain more realistic perspectives on how safe they are in the community.