The Senior Programs objectives are to reduce senior victimization, enhance a sense of security and improve seniors overall quality of life. The senior program goals are to identify senior issues, investigate those issues thoroughly and sensitively, select a course of action, and create a network with social services. In order to accomplish these goals and objectives the Orange County Sheriff's Office must educate, train and involve senior citizens, law enforcement and the community.
SENIOR ABUSE
Orange County Sheriff's Office offers presentations on senior abuse. These presentations include what to report and how to report senior abuse. Education is essential when 80% of senior abuse is from a family member. Senior abuse can take several different forms; physical, sexual, psychological, exploitation (material or financial), neglect or self-neglect. Only 1 in 5 senior abuses are reported. Under Florida Statute 415, everyone is a mandatory reporter if they see or assume abuse. To report senior abuse, call 1 (800) 96-ABUSE(22873).
SENIOR PRESENTATIONS
The Orange County Sheriff's Office has recognized that the best defense to prevent crime is through education. Senior Crime Prevention offers the following classes; senior safety, senior frauds and scams, senior identity theft, senior overview, and senior medical identity theft. To make this easy for the senior community the Senior Crime Prevention advocate comes to your location to present these valuable free classes around your schedule.
SENIOR ACADEMY
This six week academy is available to all who live in Orange County. The objectives for the senior academy are; reducing the prospect of seniors becoming victimized through educational awareness programs and reducing seniors’ fears of criminal victimization. This academy is strictly for personal enrichment and doesn’t qualify for any type of position within the Orange County Sheriff's Office. The Senior Academy is free to the community.
9-1-1
Free cell phones are issued to our senior citizens who cannot afford one. The phone is for emergency purposes only and cannot be used to call family and friends. All phones that are given to the senior community have been donated. These phones are checked, cleaned and issued. If interested in donating or receiving a phone, please come to our main facility located at 2500 West Colonial Drive Orlando, FL 32804. Please call in advance to set up an appointment at (407) 254-7375.
COMBAT AUTO THEFT
When a Combat Auto Theft application has been completed, a sticker is issued and placed in the rear window of your vehicle. If the vehicle is spotted out in the community between 1AM and 5AM, that sticker gives law enforcement the authority to stop and search the vehicle to see if it is stolen. Combat Auto Theft is free to the community and many stolen vehicles have been recovered thru this program.
The Senior Crime Prevention Unit is available for any type of senior concerns and senior general assistance.
For more information on Senior Programs please contact Coordinator Laura Lang at (407) 254-7375 or laura.lang@ocfl.net.