“TRIAD is back!” announced Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe and Sheriff Mike Downey in a news release. Their respective offices will lead the program’s revival in partnership with seniors and senior-serving organizations from across the region.

TRIAD is a cooperative effort aimed at reducing crimes against seniors in the county. Kankakee County’s TRIAD had been active since 1999; it ceased meeting in approximately 2013. The state’s attorney’s office and the sheriff’s department are able to restart this program after a decade of its absence from funding received by the Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office.

“Caring for seniors in our community is one of our greatest responsibilities; caring for those who once cared for us is one of our highest honors. TRIAD allows us to protect seniors from abuse, neglect and fraud, while allowing seniors to remain engaged in their community and continue to play a role in public safety and volunteerism. We are excited to bring TRIAD back to Kankakee County and I am thankful to lead this effort alongside the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Department and local senior organizations,” Rowe said in the news release.

Downey added, “the TRIAD program is an excellent program to help seniors in a number of ways. With all of the attempted fraud and scams that strategically pick on seniors, I am proud to be able to provide valuable information to those who may be potential victims and help to prevent them from becoming victims. Helping to answer questions and assist in making needed resources available to seniors will provide them with tools to enjoy life and retirement.”

TRIAD meetings will take place on the third Wednesday of every month on the fourth floor of the Kankakee Public Library. Meetings begin at 10 a.m. and run approximately one hour.

All are welcome to enjoy a free breakfast, snacks and beverages. There is ample parking in the rear parking lot and the library is handicap accessible. There will be signage directing attendees to the correct floor/room.

Seniors and caregivers are invited to attend. The first meeting will take place on March 15. Each meeting includes a law enforcement speaker on various topics of concern to seniors and senior safety; guest speakers will also join us to discuss matters of local, state and national interest.

The guest speaker on March 15 will be Paul Schimpf, a former state legislator, who served as the lead American attorney adviser in the prosecution of Saddam Hussein in the Iraqi High Tribunal Court. Schimpf helped induce a courtroom confession where Hussein admitted culpability in the massacre of hundreds of civilians, for which he was ultimately sentenced to death, according to the news release.

The scheduled guest speaker for the April 19 TRIAD meeting will be Jerry Downs of the Silhouettes, who will be interviewed by Tim Milner of Milner Media Partners. Downs will share local stories about the Silhouettes’ history, answer questions from the audience and provide some entertainment. Future speakers will be announced at the March 15 meeting.

The goal of TRIAD is to reduce the fear of crime and victimization among seniors by increasing awareness of scams and frauds that target them, strengthening communication between law enforcement and senior communities and educating seniors on local and state resources that are available in the community.

“For Kankakee County, this goal is accomplished through guest speakers, community collaborations, and targeted training for seniors and law enforcement professionals, all hosted alongside entertaining and engaging senior-focused programming,” read the news release.

For additional information, or to sponsor an upcoming TRIAD meeting, contact Chris Borchardt at 815-295-9910 or CBorchardt@K3County.net.