TRIAD working to protect seniors

Pioneer Times photograph
SIGNING — Houlton Police Ltn. Dan Pelletier signs the Southern Aroostook Triad agreement between senior citizens, law enforcement and agencies that help seniors. Others who also signed the contract were, from left, Bonnie Pratt, RSVP; Lisa Moulton, Aroostook Area Agency on Aging; Craig Clossey and James Madore, Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department; Doug Hazlett, Houlton Town Manager; Houlton Police Officer Steve Nason; Sally Gentle, DHHS Office of Elderly Services and Becky Miller, District Attorney’s Office.
Board looking for members
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    The Houlton Police Department is forming a group to help safeguard and bring awareness to older adults in the southern Aroostook area.
    The logo of three triangles —TRIAD — symbolizes a working relationship among leaders from law enforcement, seniors and community groups, especially those in charge of services provided to the senior citizens.
    “Our main goal is to make sure seniors don’t become a victim of a crime,” said Houlton Police Officer Stephen Nason and the department’s first community resource officer (CRO).
    “We want to get seniors together with services. A lot of times, people come to the police station because they don’t know where else to go.”
    The Houlton Police Department wants to be a place where people, especially seniors, can come and get answers to their questions.
    “If we can’t find an answer for a need they have, we can at least direct them on the right path,” added Nason.
    Even though TRIAD was in the planning stages before, Nason will now be the “go-to” person for the group.
    “With my new position as community resource officer, there is time for me to concentrate on it,” explained Nason.
    The actual component that makes the TRIAD work is a SALT committee — Seniors and Law Enforcement Together — since the Houlton Police Department can only be used as a resource. The SALT committee consists of six to 10 members, who will meet twice a month, raise funds for the organization and provide assistance to seniors.
     “The plan is to have the committee actually run the whole thing and I will be there as a resource,” Nason said.
    For the last few weeks, Nason has been attempting to find people to fill the SALT board.
    “It is a very good program,” said Nason. “But, we are having a difficult time finding people who want to volunteer to be on the committee. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a senior, but someone who is interested in helping seniors.”
    As community resource officer, Nason will be spending time at Houlton High School and hopes to get students active on the SALT board.
    “I am at the high school and will try to make it a project for a couple of students who want to volunteer to be involved,” he added. “It would be a good experience for them. But, the students have to be organized and have good communication skills. You just don’t show up to a meeting and do nothing. There is work involved.”
    TRIAD is not just for the town of Houlton, but for all of the southern Aroostook area.
    “Although the Houlton Police Department is heading it up, we realize a lot more seniors live in the area and many come to Houlton, so we want to include all southern Aroostook,” Nason explained.
    On Monday, the Houlton Police Department, District Attorney’s Office, the town of Houlton, along with Adult Protective Services signed a TRIAD cooperative agreement at the Houlton Police Department.
    “We want to prevent seniors from [becoming] part of mail fraud, phone scams and elder abuse,” said Nason. “We have people coming in on a weekly basis wondering about information, whether they are going to be a victim or concerned they are a victim. We want to alleviate any of those worries they might have.”
    “We are going to include physicians to help improve seniors’ health and we want to educate the seniors as much as we can,” Nason added. “We want the seniors to become more active. Some seniors never get out. We want [the SALT board] to be a spot where they can come if they have questions.”
    To volunteer or to get more information on TRIAD, call the Houlton Police Department at 532-2287 or visit www.nationaltriad.org.