LACP.org
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Youth and Seniors
special needs, special attention

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Youth and Seniors; special needs, special attention

LA Community Policing is delighted to welcome aboard two new columnists who will offer advice and information on Youth and Senior issues.

Keeping Our Kids Safe <-- read
by Alisa N. Smith
  Elder Abuse / Criminal Neglect <-- read
by Anne Marie Lardeau
Co-organizer, Youth and Education Committee
Glassell Park Neighborhood Council
  Publisher, LA4Seniors.com
Hollywood C-PAB Member


Alisa N. Smith serves as the Co-coordinator for the Youth and Education Committee in the newly formed Glassell Park Neighborhood Council.

Now a mother of two, Alisa herself grew up in a family of activists. She remembers being in a stroller when her mother attended Central Park protests on the Vietnam War in New York City, where she grew up.

As Ms. Smith says, "I became involved with the LA's Neighborhood Council process over a year ago and am convinced I was handed the responsibility of organizing the Youth and Education Committee simply because I have been a parent for 14 years."


....Feel free to suggest topics, express an opinion or give LA Community Policing your ideas about Youth and Senior issues.


Email your questions and comments on
Community Policing for Youth to:

Alisa N. Smith
youth@LACP.org
.


Email your questions and comments on
Community Policing for Seniors to:

Anne Marie Lardeau
seniors@LACP.org
.
.
 
In 1992, Anne Marie Lardeau thought the best way to start giving back to her community was to become an LAPD Reserve Officer. At the age of 44, she entered the gates of the Police Academy in Elysian Park with a sense of purpose. As a sworn officer with a civilian heart, she was soon drawn to community policing and was awarded the Police Distinguished Service Medal in 1995 for her work on domestic violence.

That year, she was invited as a civilian to join the Rampart C-PAB to focus on family violence issues. As a Reserve Officer she also served a year in the LAPD Community-Policing Group where she was responsible for putting together a team to design and test a Community-Police Problem Solving (CPPS) course for community groups.

In 1996, Anne Marie joined the Hollywood C-PAB where she has been an active member ever since. The need for a community-policing approach to address problems affecting seniors and their families became apparent: "I never meant to do this but I had never seen a larger void or a bigger need. For me it was and still is a moral obligation to get involved and protect vulnerable seniors." Dealing with elder abuse meant dealing with County agencies such as Adult Protective Services and the service areas had to be expanded.

That meant the creation in 1998 of a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) now serving the Greater Hollywood and Metro areas of Los Angeles. Ms. Lardeau still co-chairs the LA Metro MDT and also publishes the LA4Seniors Website to promote elder abuse prevention and increase community awareness of services available for seniors and their families.