Community-Building Campaign Looks To Educate Seniors On Safety

ROUND ROCK, TX — The Senior and Law Enforcement Together (S.A.L.T.) Council, a group made up of representatives from local Sheriff Offices, police departments, members of AARP, and local Senior Citizens, will host National Afternoon Out on Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. As an extension of National Night Out and a community-building campaign, the event is a collaboration between RRPD, seniors and law enforcement, and promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to improve neighborhood safety and create better places to live.

National Afternoon Out will feature guest speakers, door prizes and refreshments and will be held in the Grand Meeting Room at the Allen R. Baca Senior Center located at 301 W Bagdad Ave # 2, Round Rock, TX 78664. This year's guest speakers includes Police Chief Banks, and an expert who will discuss ways to avoid scams, especially those targeted to senior citizens.

The S.A.L.T. Council was created in 1996 as an part of the national organization, TRIAD. The TRIAD is comprised of police departments, sheriff's offices and representatives of senior citizen groups within a county.

The Council's purpose centers on:

• Decreasing crime and the "fear" of crime in order to raise livability for our seniors.
• Increasing and improving senior crime prevention and education.
• Improving local law enforcement's knowledge of the crime prevention needs of seniors.
• Identifying the concerns of local senior citizens.
• Improving senior victim assistance.
• Involving senior citizens in crime prevention and the educational efforts of S.A.L.T. and to raise awareness of the community of these special issues.

S.A.L.T. Council activities have included the following:

• Monthly programs on issues seniors have identified, i.e., telemarketing scams, mail theft, check fraud, ombudsman, etc.
• Presented training for officers on sensitivity issues with Alzheimer's patients encountered on the streets as lost or missing.
• Created, published and distributed brochure on Elder Abuse which raised awareness of issue and provided LOCAL support.
• Refrigerator cards which list crucial medical and emergency information about a resident with special needs to aid emergency personnel dispatched to the home.
• Neighborhood Watch programs to address the specific concerns of senior neighbors.

If you're interested in attending the 2019 National Afternoon Out event, please RSVP to alewing@roundrocktexas.gov or visit the City of Round Rock website.

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