Thursday, July 18, 2024

Westminster Police Department

9110 Yates St.

Westminster, CO 80031

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (One-hour Lunch on your own)

REGISTER

RESPONDING TO AND INVESTIGATING SEXUAL ASSAULTS OF ELDERLY OR AT-RISK ADULTS

One in ten adults over the age of 60 has experienced one or more forms of abuse– physical or sexual assault, neglect, or financial exploitation. However, communities often struggle to identify, respond to, and prevent elder abuse. Ineffective response can result from lack of coordination across systems and disciplines. Factors such as ageism, family dynamics, fear, isolation, health concerns, and financial constraints can impair an older victim’s ability or willingness to report abuse. Furthermore, in many communities, there is a lack of funding to address elder abuse and provide services to victims. Investigations that are victim-centered can support, empower, and respect older victims, even when charges are not ultimately filed. Crimes against vulnerable adults can have a devastating impact on victims, who are often left feeling more vulnerable than prior to the victimization. The control they had over their lives may be replaced with fear, isolation, and a daunting and unfamiliar criminal justice process. When the victim lacks capacity, the challenges can be even greater. This training will explore the unique challenges and opportunities of investigating crimes against older victims with the twin goals of perpetrator accountability and victim safety.

O B J E C T I V E S

As a result of this training, participants will be better able to:

• Identify risk factors specific to this population
  and barriers to reporting
• Discuss victim-centered investigative strategies
  and evidence collection in elder abuse cases
• Identify and work collaboratively with key
  partners to support older victims and determine
  if a crime has occurred
• Assess victim safety regardless of whether the
  case is charged
• Describe coordinated community responses to
  abuse of the elderly and at-risk

PRESENTERS:

CHRIS MERKLE  has served in specialized assignments throughout his law enforcement career including the Traffic Unit, Personnel and Training Unit, and Detective Division as a Persons Crime Investigator. He now works as an Investigator for the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office (20th JD) in Colorado. Investigator Merkle has since spearheaded training for law enforcement officials to facilitate proper understanding and enforcement of Mandatory Reporting for crimes against the elderly and at-risk. Today he is a member of several MDT’s that advocate for this population, including the Boulder County Adult Protection Review Team and Elder Justice Coalition.

ANN LAATSCH, JD is the Justice System Coordinator for the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL), a project of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin (End Abuse). Dr. Laatsch is responsible for nationwide leadership within the criminal justice system on enhancing safety and the quality of life of older victims and survivors of abuse. In this role, she also provides training and technical assistance on justice system issues and creates training materials and curricula on justice system responses to abuse in later life. In her past work, she has provided legal representation to survivors of domestic and elder abuse, and people with disabilities.

For questions and case submissions for discussion, please email Kaitlyn De Witt at kdewitt@brightonco.gov.

This project was supported by the federal grant 15JOVW-22-GG-00412-STOP awarded by the Office for Victims Programs, through the Division of Criminal Justice, Colorado Department of Public Safety