One organization’s crime-free program helps senior living community managers work together with residents and police to keep homes secure.
Stolen televisions and electronics, one of the Good Samaritan Society’s affordable senior living communities in the neighborhood remained unharmed. When the thieves were finally apprehended, surprised police officers asked why they had never tried to pull a heist at the senior community. Wasn’t it an easy target?
Not at all, the thieves replied. There was always a police patrol car driving by at unpredictable times. Crime-control signage and the watchful eye of the senior residents made the community grounds an unappealing place for criminals to visit.
Score one victory for the Good Samaritan Society’s Crime-Free Senior Living Program.
Developed by the society in partnership with the National Crime Free Association, the program aims to help seniors live in a safe environment by providing minimum security measures and awareness through safety programs. The Good Samaritan Society rolled out the program at all of its 33 affordable senior communities in 22 states in 2010, and it has already seen overwhelmingly positive feedback from residents and police, says Paul Flogstad, a Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Affordable Housing Consultant for the society.
With previous experience as both a regional manager at a large property management company and in law enforcement, Flogstad felt it was a natural fit to develop a safety program for seniors.
“Overall, senior communities don’t have as many issues as a typical multifamily housing community,” Flogstad says. “They don’t have meth labs or assaults.” But senior communities do have other important safety issues, he says. “Typically, robberies and burglaries are concerns. Seniors have tons of [prescription] drugs, so it’s easy pickings for someone to try and come in and get some.”
Focus on Senior Priorities
The Crime-Free Senior Living Program is based off of the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program, developed in 1992 by the Mesa (Ariz.) Police Department. Like the original program, the seniors program involves a unique coalition of law enforcement, property managers and residents. The Good Samaritan Society program, however, focuses more on crime that can occur more frequently with older residents, such as identity theft, telemarketing fraud, Internet fraud and personal safety.
Seniors also have slightly different education and environmental needs, Flogstad notes. They might not be as mobile or active as young adults, for example, so the program provides tips on how they can better take care of themselves and their belongings.
The Good Samaritan Society program is implemented at a community in four phases. First, the community manager reads the Crime Free Senior Living manual and completes a knowledge test. The manual helps the manager understand how to present the program to residents, provide on-going education and monitor the results.
Next, the community contacts the local law enforcement agency to get to know the officers assigned to their community and set up a physical inspection of the community. Known as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design or CPTED, the survey helps managers find and implement environmental safety improvements such as peepholes in doors, deadbolt locks, adequate lighting and proper landscape maintenance.
Third, managers send a letter to residents informing them about the Crime-Free Senior Living Program. They must then conduct criminal background checks on all applicants and existing residents who haven’t already been screened. While senior communities aren’t typically a hotbed for criminal activity, criminal screening also acts as a preventive measure: Once they find out they’ll be screened, prospective residents with a criminal record often don’t follow through with their application, Flogstad says.
At lease signing, all residents are also asked to sign a “Crime Free Commitment,” agreeing both to abstain from criminal behavior and to report any crimes that they see.
Finally, managers schedule a safety social to introduce the program to residents. Residents are informed about the program details and learn about the steps the community is taking to keep them safe. Managers then work with local enforcement to establish regular (monthly or bi-monthly) training programs on safety issues. These programs might focus on topics particularly important to seniors, such as identity theft or scams, Flogstad says.
Building Beneficial Relationships
The Crime-Free Senior Living Program has had positive, and sometimes unexpected, results. The rapport that develops between law enforcement and senior residents creates a bond that helps both sides, Flogstad says.
“We offer our community rooms for police to come in and get coffee, or our parking lots for officers to park their cars and do reports,” Flogstad says. “The officers get to know everyone, and residents can ask about scams” or other issues they’re seeing.
In turn, communities and local law enforcement can tap into seniors’ available time and energy. At some senior communities, the residents have nightly patrols to check for safety issues such as unlocked cars. “Seniors love to become involved,” Flogstad says. “It’s just unbelievable the participation that law enforcement gets from senior volunteers.”
The crime-free program can even be a useful marketing tool, Flogstad notes.
“If you’re taking mom and dad to look at communities,” he says, “and they’re identical in every way, but one has a crime-free program and the other doesn’t, which one are you going to choose?”
Jeffrey Lee is NAA’s former Manager of Communications.
Implementing the Program
The Good Samaritan Society, which developed the Crime-Free Senior Housing Program in partnership with the National Crime Free Association, does not charge for the manual or other necessary program materials, except as reimbursement for copying. Interested communities can contact Paul Flogstad at pflogsta@good-sam.com , 605/362-5584, or at the Good Samaritan Society, 4800 W. 57th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57108.
“If you’re taking mom and dad to look at communities, but one has a crime-free program and the other doesn’t, which one are you going to choose?”
Paul Flogstad
Affordable Housing Consultant
Good Samaritan Society
Sioux Falls, SD