New Jersey Police to Be Trained on Elder Law Prevention

New Jersey Police are now being trained in elder law prevention, and over 140 officers in law enforcement from a variety of departments throughout the state were able to attend a two-day conference that was designed to teach them how to protect, as well as assist, elderly citizens in their communities. The hope is that elder law attorneys, such as those at Garcia Law, will be needed much less often for cases of abuse of seniors. 

What Was Taught?

The two-day conference that so many NJ law enforcement officers throughout the state attended was designed to effectively teach them how to easily and quickly recognize the various signs that are associated with the abuse of seniors. These include not only physical signs of abuse, but also psychological signs of abuse, and the signs of financial abuse of the elderly. 

The Conference

The conference, which is called the Elder Abuse and Exploitation Conference, was sponsored by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, and it was held in early September at the Middlesex County Fire Academy in Sayreville. 

Andrew C. Carey, who is the Middlesex County Prosecutor, stated that law enforcement officers from every one of the 28 police agencies throughout his county, as well as police officers from the Piscataway Police Department, attended the conference to learn what they could do to keep the elderly safe and to recognize signs of elder abuse. 

A Variety of Speakers to Learn From

There were over 20 guest speakers at the Elder Abuse and Exploitation Conference, and they were able to discuss a wide range of important topics that were designed to assist police officers and law enforcement officials in their ability to recognize abuse and help senior citizens. The goal of every talk was to teach the officers the many ways that seniors can be abused, from physically to financially, by the caretakers that they should be able to trust. 

Even though there were many talented speakers at this special event, the keynote speaker for the conference was Deputy District Attorney Paul Greenwood. He is from the San Diego County District Attorney’s office, and he is the leader of that particular agency’s own Elder Abuse Protection Unit, so he has a lot of knowledge to share to NJ officers who want to follow suit. 

A Twofold Approach

To combat elder abuse, and to tackle the financial exploitation of the elderly, police officers need to have two main goals in mind. The first would be to provide support, as well as identify the resources that are available to senior citizens and their caretakers. The second goal would be to thoroughly investigate and prosecute the individuals who commit illegal acts against the elderly when there are signs of crimes being committed. 

Ultimately, this conference was an engaging and educational one, and it is proof that New Jersey police officers will now be able to detect the signs of elder abuse much more easily and help senior citizens throughout the state get the help that they need and deserve.

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New Jersey Police to Be Trained on Elder Law Prevention