Seniors learn safety skills at police academy

The Brookline Police Department is holding its annual six-week “Senior Citizen Police Academy” to help senior citizens get to know its officers and programs and learn strategies to help protect themselves from scams.

A group of 12 to 15 seniors meet once a week at the Brookline Senior Center and discuss safety scenarios and crime prevention strategies, said Brookline Council on Aging Director Ruthann Dobek. They also hear presentations about the latest programs within the police department.

Scammers are always coming up with new and sophisticated ways to victimize the elderly over the phone, Dobek said. Officers at the academy focus on the newest and most common fraud scenarios and teach tips on how seniors should respond if they find themselves in such situations.

The program’s objective is to give seniors an understanding of the operations of the police department and improve the lines of communication between the police department and seniors. The hope is that seniors will feel more comfortable dealing with the police after the program.

“We want seniors to feel comfortable enough to pick up the phone and call the police if they are victims of a crime,” Dobek said.

Seniors are encouraged to share the knowledge from the academy by educating their friends as well, she said.

The program is usually held once a year and has been running for a little over a decade, Dobek said.