Quincy funds senior‑fraud liaison roles in police and Council on Aging budgets

Quincy—s FY26 budget hearings yielded agreement across the police department, the Council on Aging and the mayor—s office to add staff focused on preventing and responding to fraud against older residents.

Chief Kennedy proposed a non‑sworn investigative analyst in the police budget with training in cryptocurrency tracking to enable faster investigations and a better chance at recovering funds moved into digital wallets. He told councilors urgency is critical because funds can be moved out of reach within minutes.

Separately, the mayor added a senior fraud and scam liaison position in the Council on Aging budget. Administration officials described the two roles as complementary: the liaison will coordinate education, outreach and first‑line intake for seniors, while the police analyst will provide technical investigative support when money has been taken. Mayor—s staff told councilors the position was a late‑added priority by the mayor and that a specific candidate with relevant experience had been identified.

Councilors and department heads said the combination addresses two barriers the city has seen: many seniors are embarrassed and reluctant to report scams, and the city previously relied on outside agencies to perform digital tracing. Councilor Kane and others said they supported both positions as a coordinated approach. The Council on Aging director, Michelle Hanley, listed existing educational partners that will work with the new liaison, including the Norfolk County Sheriff—s Department, the U.S. Postal Service and local credit unions.

All related budgets, including the police and Council on Aging budgets, were approved by the council during the May 13 session.