Policy Text
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW NEXT REVIEW
4 05/12/2015 02/16/2023 02/16/2027
BUENA PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS
_______________________ ____________
GO 326 - Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse 1 POLICY 326 ELDER and DEPENDENT ADULT ABUSE
326.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy provide s employee s of this Department with direction and understanding of their role in
the prevention, detection , and intervention in incidents of elder and dependent adult abuse.
326.1.1 ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
This policy pertains to the following CALEA Standards: 1.2.5, 1.2.7, 55.2.2, 82.2.1, 82.2. 4
326.1.2 DEFINITIONS
Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse : Any offense or attempt ed offense involving physical abuse,
neglect , financial abuse, abduction, or other treatment resulting in physical harm, pain , or mental
suffering of adults, or deprivation by a caregiver of goods or services that are necessary to av oid
physical harm or mental suffering ( Welfare and Institutions Code § 15610.07 ).
Elder : Any person residing in this state, 65 years of age or older (Welfare and Institutions Code §
15610.27 ).
Dependent Adult : Any person residing in this state, between t he ages of 18 and 64 years of age ,
who has physical or mental limitations that restrict his or her ability to car ry out normal activities or
to protect his /her rights including, but not limited to, persons who have physical or developmental
disabilities or whose physical or mental abilities have diminished because of age. This includes any
person between the ages of 18 and 64 years of age who is admitted as an inpatient to a 24 -hour
health facility, as defined in state law ( Welfare an d Institutions Code § 15610.23, Health and Safety
Code §§ 1250, 1250.2 and 1250.3 ).
326.2 POLICY
It is Buena Park Police Department policy to treat reports of elder or dependent adult abuse as
high-priority criminal activity that is to b e fully investigated , regardless of the relationship bet ween
the victim and the suspect (s).
326.3 MANDATORY NOTIFICATION
Any employee who has observed , or has knowledge of , an incident that reasonably appears to be
elder o r dependent adult abuse , is told by an elder or dependent adult that he/she has experienced
abuse , or who reasonably suspects abuse , shall report to the county adult protective services
agency as soon as practica ble as provided in Welfare and Institutions Code § 15630 .
For purposes of notification, abuse is physical abuse, abandonment, abduction, isolation, financial
abuse , or neglect. Physical abuse includes any assault or sex crime (Welfare and Institutions Code
§ 15610.63). Financial abuse includes taking personal or real property by undue influence or intent
to defraud (Welfare and Institutions Code § 15610.30).
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW NEXT REVIEW
4 05/12/2015 02/16/2023 02/16/2027
BUENA PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS
_______________________ ____________
GO 326 - Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse 2
Notification is also made in cases of abandonment, abduction, isolation , and neglect (Welfare and
Institutions Code § 15610.05; Welfare and Institutions C ode § 15610.06; Welfare and Institutions
Code § 15610.43; Welfare and Institutions Code § 15610.57).
Notification should also be made to the following agencies as soon as practicable or as provided
below (Welfare and Institutions Code § 15630):
a) If the abuse is physical abuse and occurred in a long -term care facility (not a state mental
health hospital or a state developmental center) , notification shall be made as follows
(Welfare and In stitutions Code § 15630(b)(1)):
1. If there is serious bodily injury, notification shall be made by telephone and, within
two hours, a written report shall be made to the local ombudsman and the
corresponding licensing agency.
2. If there is physical abuse and no serious bodily injury, notification shall be made by
telephone an d, within 24 hours, a written report shall be made to the local
ombudsman and the corresponding licensing age ncy.
3. If the abuse is allegedly caused by a resident with dementia and there is no serious
bodily injury, notification shall be made by telephone an d a written report to the l ocal
ombudsman within 24 hours.
b) If the abuse is in a long -term care facility (not a state mental health or a state developmental
center) and is other than physical abuse, a telephone report and a written report shall be
made to t he local ombudsman.
c) The State Department of Public Health shall be notified of all known or suspected abuse
occurring in a long -term facility .
d) The Division of Medi -Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse shall be notified of all abuse that
constitutes criminal activity in a long -term care facility .
e) The District Attorney’s office shall be notified of all cases of physical abuse and financial
abuse in a long -term care facility .
f) If the abuse