LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, Supreme Court Justice Megan Cavanagh and top law enforcement officials have unveiled the first-ever statewide incident report for vulnerable adult abuse.
Online training will be available for every law enforcement agency State-wide through Michigan’s Elder Abuse Task Force initiatives.
Nessel says that Michigan has never had a standardized form of this type.
“For too long, law enforcement agencies have gone without the proper tools to identify, prosecute and rein in elder abuse crimes in our state,” Nessel said in a press release. “Today, together with the top leaders that represent every law enforcement agency, in addition to prosecutors from around the state, we are providing more robust tools to crack down on elder abuse.”
The new form will help officers determine if elder abuse is taking place. The criteria includes items such as
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Determining whether the victim is a vulnerable adult;
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Identifying if there has been physical harm; and
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Documenting physical injuries, possible signs of neglect and/or instances of financial exploitation.
The form will also make suggestions for actions officers can take depending on the situation, such as notifying Adult Protective Services.
“The standard investigation form is an important next step toward the effective prosecution of elder abuse in Michigan,” Midland County Prosecuting Attorney and the Prosecutor’s Association of Michigan’s liaison to the Elder Abuse Task Force J. Dee Brooks added. “The Elder Abuse Task Force has brought together partners from many diverse backgrounds with a single purpose: finding the best and most effective means to combat elder abuse in Michigan. It has been a real honor for me to serve on it with so many talented individuals.”
The news of the new form comes five months after the Elder Abuse Task Force was created.
