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Cape Girardeau’s SALT program aims to protect seniors from scams and build ties with police
Summary
On Cape Chronicle, Assistant Police Chief Jeff Bonham and SALT committee member Paul Neneger described the local SALT (Seniors and Lawmen Together) program’s history, three annual events, home-security checks and outreach to reduce scams that target older residents.
Assistant Police Chief Jeff Bonham and Paul Neneger told Cape Chronicle listeners that Cape Girardeau’s SALT (Seniors and Lawmen Together) program combines education, informal contact and community events to help protect older residents from crime and scams.
Bonham said SALT traces to national efforts begun in the 1980s by groups including AARP, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Sheriffs’ Association, and that a first group formed in 1989 in Saint Martin Parish, Louisiana. “It goes back to the early eighties,” Bonham said. He added that Cape formed its own SALT committee soon after.
Neneger described the local motivation: a late-1980s crime wave in which seniors were targeted, sometimes through forced entry. “They started an educational program,” Neneger said, and the department began offering home-security evaluations to check for hiding places, suggest lighting and provide other crime-prevention tips.
The program has since evolved into a committee that emphasizes informal, person-to-person contact between seniors and law enforcement. Neneger said officers from the Cape Police Department, Jackson Police Department, Cape County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri Highway Patrol participate in SALT events, serve food, play games and sometimes simply sit and visit with seniors to make them comfortable reporting problems.
“A lot of our seniors are getting scammed,” Bonham said. “Every day we get complaints on that.” He described technology-based fraud — computer and phone scams — as an ongoing problem that can drain retirement savings, and said SALT provides practical advice to reduce risk.
Neneger said the group runs three main events each year: a law-enforcement memorial in May, a senior-information day in September (originally organized through the Community Counseling Center, now Community Partners of SEMO) and a Christmas party the first Thursday of December. He said the Eagles Club has provided free space for the September and December events.
For residents who want to get involved, Neneger said SALT holds monthly meetings on the second Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., typically at the Jackson Senior Center. He said Captain Jason Kluver from Troop E will lead the meetings for a two-year term, and that sessions generally last about an hour and are open to anyone interested.
The Cape Chronicle segment concluded with Renick thanking the guests and noting contact details for listeners who want to learn more.
