LOCAL POLICE ATTEMPT TO BRIGHTEN LIVES OF ELDERLY

Area police agencies have a bright idea for elderly residents.

Sixty-watt flashing light bulbs are being distributed through senior centers in Cape Girardeau and Jackson to residents of Cape Girardeau County, said Grace Hoover, vice-chairwoman of the Triad/SALT Council.

The council unites the American Association of Retired Persons, area law enforcement and others with a concern for the safety of elderly residents, said Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan.

Recipients of delivered meals from the Jackson and Cape Girardeau senior centers get the "Beacon" light bulbs on a request basis, said Rob Watson, who coordinates community relations projects for the sheriff's department. He said 300 are being handed out through a grant from the AARP.

The light bulbs, intended for outdoor use, will flash repeatedly if the light switch is flipped on twice, Watson said. This serves as a warning signal to neighbors or passers-by.

"Many seniors who are living alone need a way to communicate when there's a problem, and this gives them an option," Hoover said.

For those who would be interested in buying the light bulbs, Hoover suggested local electrical supply stores.

Making the light bulbs available is one way of recognizing safety needs of the elderly, Jordan said.

"Law enforcement has to be proactive in how it delivers service to the community," he said. And the elderly population is the fastest growing segment of society.

The light bulb campaign is a proactive measure, Watson said.

The last significant series of crimes against the elderly occurred from March to December in 1996, said Cpl. Kevin Orr of Cape Girardeau's police.

Robbers were kicking in doors and confronting elderly residents in 17 reported cases, Orr said. All involved threats of violence, and in one instance a man's arm was broken, Orr said.

At that time police assisted with distribution of the light bulbs, along with personal alarm systems that emitted a 130-decibel noise when a bolt was removed, Orr said.

"We also did well over 40 security surveys of people's homes in that period," he said.

Robberies and requests for security surveys diminished when two men were arrested late in 1996, Orr said.

The Triad/SALT Council was formed nationally in 1988, and locally in 1995. It was the first council in Missouri, Jordan said.

Among upcoming events planned by the council are a senior bus tour of Christmas lights in December and a seminar on fraud sometime next spring, Hoover said.