measures they can undertake to protect themselves. Through such endeavors, valuable knowledge can be gained and exaggerated fears dispelled.

Reducing crimes against the elderly and the dread they have for lawlessness can spark a renewed sense of security in older persons and

JANUARY 1, 1976

improve the quality of their lives. In providing such assistance, law enforcement will be rendering a vital service while earning the gratitude and greater confidence of our senior citizens.

The wisdom of our elderly citizens is a precious national asset which must be protected from the ravages of crime.

Cinkelley

CLARENCE M. Kelley

Director

calls for other patrol units to overlap the areas temporarily unprotected.

Locally, recruit officers are given little or no training to prepare them for family-crisis intervention. The recruits learn to handle "domestics" by observing veteran officers in action. After a period of time, the recruit is considered capable of handling these situations by himself.

The codirectors agreed that in their experience the officers were effective in dealing with the immediate problem usually by persuasive conversation with the individuals involved or by threatening to lock up one or the other, normally the husband. In many cases, it is easy to persuade the husband to go for a walk around the block and cool off, or to have either of the individuals spend the night with other family members or friends. In any event, the solution is generally a temporary one. As with the bulk of an iceberg, the basis of the problem remains hidden. Consequently, the

police officers may well have to return during the same shift, an occurrence which often leads to the arrest of one of the parties. More time and manpower are expended and the problem continues to be unresolved.

"Another problem sensed by the codirectors was that few, if any, police officers were aware of referral services in the county."

Another problem sensed by the codirectors was that few, if any, police officers were aware of referral services in the county. A myriad of services are available to assist officers in their demanding profession. It is important to inform officers of agencies' functions and advise them in making contacts. For example, staff from the counseling center are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These people, many of whom are volunteers, will respond to attempted suicides, family problems, drug/alco

hol problems, etc. They can spend as much time as necessary with clients, thereby freeing the police so they may return to patrol or answer other calls for service. There are other agencies who will respond to alcohol problems, child abuse, etc.

Officers from the various departments were frustrated with the mental health center staff. The officers complained of bringing violent individuals to the center for admittance, as provided for under the mental health law, only to have them refused admittance because the individual no longer showed violent tendencies or was not seen as a threat to self or others. In addition, after the officers waited for the person to be evaluated, the reason for not admitting the individual was not made clear to them. Officers complained of risking their lives several times to save the same person from jumping over Niagara Falls, only to have that person refused admittance to the center. The lack of communication concerning