THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 24, 1996 TAG: 9603230095
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REBECCA A. MYERS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
The attorney general of Virginia came to Portsmouth last week to kick off a new program for senior citizens in the city.
Republican James S. Gilmore III was the guest speaker Wednesday at the launching of TRIAD, a crime prevention and education program for the city's elderly population.
TRIAD seeks to reduce the victimization of seniors by establishing programs that address the concerns of an older population.
``Triad recognizes the important resource that senior citizens are in a community,'' Gilmore told community leaders, law enforcement members and senior citizens who attended the short ceremony at City Hall.
Though the program was adopted by Portsmouth City Council last fall, it didn't become official until Wednesday's formal signing.
Portsmouth is the third Hampton Roads city to implement TRIAD. It is being spearheaded by the Portsmouth Sheriff's Office. Virginia Beach and Hampton started similar programs last year.
Nationally, the program was developed in 1988 by the American Association of Retired Persons, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Sheriffs' Association.
``It's a very good thing, and we really definitely need it,'' said the Rev. Vernon S. Lee Sr., pastor of New Mount Vernon Baptist Church and TRIAD committee chair. ``We're excited about it.''
Lee is one of 12 members of an advisory council called SALT - short for Seniors And Law (enforcement) Together. The group is comprised of senior citizens, clergymen, members of the sheriff's office and police department and service-care providers who work with the elderly. The council meets monthly to discuss programs and recommend those that will benefit seniors.
The group's first goal was to identify the immediate crime-related concerns of seniors in Portsmouth. They did this through a survey that was recently distributed to about 4,000 elderly residents. According to the 1990 census, about 19,200 Portsmouth residents are over the age of 60.
The survey asked elderly residents to indicate the extent of their fears about going out after dark, scam artists, vandalism, personal isolation, burglary, robbery, door-to-door solicitors, traffic, neglect and personal abuse. It also asked respondents to list their top three concerns.
Respondents were then asked if improvements to street lighting, neighborhood watch programs and public transportation, for example, would make a difference in their lives.
Council members hoped to have all surveys returned to them by last Thursday.
``Once we identify all the fears from the questionnaire, then we meet as a committee and we address these concerns and that's when we try to do something about the problem,'' said Lee.
Through the survey, seniors were also invited to participate in crime prevention programs and to serve as volunteers with the sheriff's office in projects such as the ``reassurance program'' in which elderly residents are called daily and visited periodically.
About 1,300 surveys were distributed through the Portsmouth Sheriff's Office.
``I've gotten some back, and just looking at four of them, they seem to have a grave concern about the fear of scam artists,'' said Lt. Brenda Lundy, the sheriff's crime prevention coordinator. ``Another fear they have is dishonest sales people.
``So once we target what their needs are, we're going to work on those concerns as a project, too.'' MEMO: For more information about TRIAD, call Lt. Brenda Lundy at 558-2825 or
the Rev. Vernon Lee at 487-1940. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Virginia Attorney General James Gilmore, left, and other state and
city officials join forces Wednesday to launch the TRIAD program at
City Hall.
by CNB