PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 2nd Street Executive Director Lindsay Cornwell will speak at the next meeting of Triad, a collaboration among the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office, the Berkshire County Sheriff's Department and local police that focuses on the safety of seniors in the community, on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 12:30 pm. 

 

The meeting will be held at the North Adams Council on Aging in the Mary Spitzer Center, located at 116 Ashland Street in North Adams.

 

Triad is a community policing initiative involving seniors, law enforcement and service providers to increase safety through education and crime prevention. It seeks to reduce criminal activity that targets older Americans; to alleviate seniors' fear of becoming a victim, build confidence and improve the quality of life; and to enhance delivery of law enforcement services to older persons, according to a press release.

 

Seniors in the North Adams area involved with the Triad program were offered a tour of the Berkshire County House of Corrections in May, where former 2nd Street Executive Director Jason Cuyler explained 2nd Street's mission and outlined how formerly incarcerated people contribute to their communities. Due to the interest expressed during the tour, Triad followed up with Cornwell.

 

"I'm always eager to share the work we do at 2nd Street, so I'm thrilled that the senior community in North Adams is interested in learning about our programs," said Cornwell. "I look forward to exploring ways to enhance our communication and deepen our engagement with this community, as we work together to create more opportunities for meaningful connections and support."

 

According to Triad, the benefits of its program are threefold. First, seniors can gain from regular contact with law enforcement agencies, direct involvement with crime prevention strategies and awareness of available services. Second, members of law enforcement gain from more contact with seniors, better awareness of seniors' crime-related fears, more understanding of the human service field and increased respect for the agencies by members of the community. Finally, human service providers gain from improved distribution of services, more cooperation with other providers and better understanding of law enforcement and the challenges it faces.

 

In addition to North Adams, Triad serves the communities of Dalton, Great Barrington, Lenox, Pittsfield and Tyringham. The North Adams group meets the fourth Wednesday of every month at 12:30 pm at the Mary Spitzer Center. Meetings are open to the public, and seniors are encouraged to invite friends and family. For more information, visit https://bcsoma.org/community-programs/triad/.