Executive Law Enforcement Toolkit for Elder Abuse

This toolkit, developed with guidance from the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life, is designed to allow executive level law enforcement to examine current practices and introduce information that helps expand knowledge of and response to elder abuse.

The toolkit is provided as a resource to assist in planning, evaluating, and strengthening the response to elder abuse. It is not intended to be reviewed by one or two individuals working in isolation, but instead as part of a team approach that involves the agency’s leaders and staff. The toolkit is built on a process of reflection and discussion that requires candid and thoughtful conversation among those with different experiences within the organization or community.

Each section details best practices in the following areas:

Throughout the toolkit, you will find additional resources in the form of videos from “Identifying and Responding to Elder Abuse: An Officer’s Role,” a series of seven roll call videos designed for patrol officers to quickly recognize and respond to various types of elder abuse.

A recommended flow for this toolkit could be spaced out over several sessions.

Example Toolkit Schedule

Day 1

  1. Investigation
  2. Safety Planning

Day 2

  1. Access
  2. Outreach & Services

Day 3

  1. Policy & Procedure
  2. Training
  3. Community Collaboration

Click here to begin the toolkit: Investigation

About NCALL and elder abuse

The National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL) designed a set of self-assessment tools to assist communities in evaluating practices within and across key intervening agencies and in building a coordinated response to elder abuse. The tools were developed in collaboration with practitioners from across the country. They draw on state-of-the-art knowledge and promising practice recommendations for recognizing forms of elder abuse; building a victim-centered response that maximizes victim safety and autonomy; assessment and investigation strategies; safety planning; understanding the impact of violence, abuse, and trauma; holding perpetrators of elder abuse accountable for their actions; respecting and meeting the needs of older persons from diverse cultures, identities, and backgrounds; and building a coordinated community response to address elder abuse and its victims.

“Elder abuse” is abuse, neglect, or exploitation—including domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault—against an older adult by anyone with whom the victim has or has had an ongoing relationship where there is an expectation of trust. Self-neglect is not included in this definition.

To print the full NCALL Self-Assessment, click here.

Understanding Elder Abuse


Understanding Elder Abuse from The IACP on Vimeo.