Elder abuse shortens lives, destroys families, and dehumanizes vulnerable people. While elder abuse is generally underreported, research has shown that at least 10 percent of older people will likely experience some form of abuse,1 and as populations age, there will likely be a corresponding increase in the number of people experiencing abuse later in life.2 This means that police officers in large cities, small towns, tribal lands, and rural communities will all play an integral role in protecting some of our most vulnerable populations. 
Victims of elder abuse and their abusers exist in every population and all communities across the globe. Older people of any income level, ethnicity, education, or religion can become victims of elder abuse. For example, older adults can experience financial abuse, such as the stealing of social benefits, and when they do, the effects can lead to poverty. In addition, many older adults fear losing their independence, being placed in a nursing home, or being left alone—abusers know how to take advantage of and prey on these fears for their own gain.
The Dynamics of Elder Abuse
While elder abuse cases can be difficult because they often have complex physical, social, familial, and psychological dynamics, there are many similarities between intimate partner violence (IPV), domestic and child abuse, and elder abuse. Officers and agencies should consider how their knowledge of and lessons learned in IPV and child abuse can be applied to discerning and combating elder abuse. However, elder abuse victims also have specific issues that make them susceptible to abuse and make detecting this abuse difficult; to effectively prevent and respond to this issue, officers must understand some of these complicating nuances and issues. For example, older adults tend to be more isolated than children, as kids are expected to go to school and therefore are seen on a regular basis by other adults. Older individuals may have assets, fears, or diminished capacity that make them particularly vulnerable to abuse and enticing to abusers. Moreover, many elder abuse victims will be abused by those responsible for the victim’s care. When an elderly person is victimized by someone they trust, they live significantly shorter lives and their personal sense of safety is jeopardized.3
Today, in many jurisdictions, police officers have had little to no training or experience with elder abuse. Many misconceptions remain about what elder abuse is, how it manifests, and what the differences between civil and criminal cases are. Understanding the complex dynamics, nuances, and warning signs of elder abuse is vital for officers to help protect some of our most vulnerable community members and to add elder abuse as a priority for the law enforcement community. That is why the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), with support from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative (EJI), has created a series of training videos for patrol officers about elder abuse.
Elder Abuse Training Videos
IACP and EJI understand that patrol officers have many responsibilities, competing priorities, and limited time. Due to the constraints placed upon patrol officers, IACP created six training videos that are each between five and eight minutes long, which can be played during roll call or viewed online.
The training videos feature real officers discussing their personal experiences with elder abuse cases. The training videos provide officers with the basics of what they need to know, including common types of abuse, red flags and potential indicators, suggestions on how and when to involve other resources, and recommendations on how to address elder abuse and protect our older community members. The police officers, detectives, and prosecutors interviewed discuss the challenges and rewards of protecting this vulnerable population. They also offer best practices grounded in the realities facing patrol officers.
Since elder abuse is a widely varied, complex crime, the videos focus on physical abuse, financial exploitation by a stranger, financial exploitation by a relative or caretaker, and neglect, which are the most common types of crimes against the elderly. The series also includes an overview piece that highlights the prevalence of elder abuse, provides information about dementia, and dispels some myths on aging.
This series is part of a larger effort by EJI to expand resources designed specifically for law enforcement officers in the field. The videos will complement the other resources that can be found on the Elder Abuse Guide for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) website. On this website, patrol officers can find multiple checklists, tips and techniques, guides, local resources, and other materials to help them protect elder abuse victims and save lives. For example, the EAGLE site has both an investigatory checklist and a first responder checklist, which are useful for officers of any size department or agency. The EAGLE site also has a collection of state statutes and mandated reporting requirements that are continually updated and maintained so that officers can find the most up-to-date information for their states. EJI and IACP are excited to work together to make our communities safer for everyone.
Supporting Law Enforcement
Another objective of the training videos is to highlight that in many cities, counties, tribal lands, and towns, officers do not have to solve crimes against the elderly alone. There are often other resources, support services, and investigative agencies that can help officers address elder abuse.
The IACP and EJI understand that each agency has its own set of challenges, limits, and priorities. Some cities have robust resources for elderly populations; others may be less densely populated and have fewer networks to support older residents. However, these videos are designed to give officers in any jurisdiction the information they need to identify potential elder abuse and consider what steps they can take to reduce the risk of further or future harm.
For smaller departments, the patrol officer may also be the investigator, so he or she will have to know how to communicate with victims and suspects, as well as understand what evidence is necessary for an elder abuse case. For larger municipalities, the patrol officer will need to understand the roles and services other agencies such as Adult Protective Services provide or how to work with hospital staff when they suspect abuse. Patrol officers at every agency can learn from these videos and increase their understanding of elder abuse.
Conclusion
Thirty years ago, IPV and child abuse were not considered priorities for many police departments, but today new laws have been passed and police departments have implemented new policies and protocols to address these crimes. Similarly, elder abuse is now gaining the attention of federal, state, and local policy makers. Police play a vital role in protecting our most vulnerable populations, but unfortunately many patrol officers might not have the training or experience to recognize elder abuse, and they need tools to help them understand it. The training videos produced by IACP and other resources created by EJI partners can equip agencies and officers with some of the tools and information necessary to start to tackle elder abuse. When officers are empowered with the necessary information and tools, they can save lives and restore the dignity and safety of our older community members.d
Notes:
1 Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc., Weill Cornell Medical Center of Cornell University, and New York City Department for the Aging, Under the Radar: New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study (New York, NY: 2011); Ron Acierno et al., “Prevalence and Correlates of Emotional, Physical, Sexual, and Financial Abuse and Potential Neglect in the United States: The National Elder Mistreatment Study,” American Journal of Public Health, 100, no. 2 (February 2010): 292–297.
2 National Center on Elder Abuse, “Research.”
3 Mark S. Lachs et al., “The Mortality of Elder Mistreatment,” Journal of the American Medical Association 280, no. 5 (August 1998): 428–432.
