1. Collaborative Elder/vulnerable adult Investigations
NCP3A 2019 Conference
Collaborative Elder/vulnerable adult Investigations
APS Administrator Mario Wawrzusin
Lieutenant Jordan Satinsky
Montgomery County, Maryland
Welcome
Quick outline of today’s presentation
Mario’s Introduction (brief)
Jordan’s Introduction (brief)
COLLABORATIVE INVESTIGATIONS is NEXT

2. Presenters Mario wawrZusin Jordan Satinsky
Administrator, Montgomery County APS/Adult Services
25 years APS experience
NAPSA member, presenter
2018 NACO Award to APS and EMS/FRS, Mobile Integrated Health
Lieutenant, Montgomery County
20 years of law enforcement
Developed sex assault unit
Re-started DV, elder/vulnerable unit

3. Agenda Where should we be? The mistakes we made Case examples
Where we are now

4. Collaboration between APS and law enforcement
Why is this important?
Collaboration
between APS and law enforcement

5. Where should we be?

6. Where should we be? Elder/Vulnerable Adult population is growing
Growing population means more casework
Are we receiving more personnel?

7. North Carolina APS Investigations

8. North Carolina APS Investigations
2008 to 2018 NC APS more than doubled
73% of Victims are sixty and older
-similar to Montgomery County
Most common was neglect (88%)
24% of those committed by caretaker and/or relative
Exploitation occurred in 14% of cases

9. MCPD and MC APS 2013

10. MCPD Response to APS prior to 2013
Alert if case was major Supervisor would review and assign Investigators would attempt to solicit information from APS Little was shared between MCPD and MC APS

11. APS Response to MCPD prior to 2013
Police will not help They do not understand these cases Police are not empathetic No clear line of communication or contact between agencies
All will fade in
Mario, discuss the previous process

12. Collaborative Investigations Began
One Case Changed Everything

13. Donald’s Home Single family home
Patrol Officers responded for deceased
Donna, Sylvia, and Ashaka were all in the home
Unused pills all over home
Odor eliminators all over house
Bugs in home

14. MCPD Elder Abuse Unit The person is deceased
Not our investigation
Area of specialization and have contacts to assist
Did assist later with paperwork

15. MC County Code
Not something for us
Will not come out

16. MC APS On-call agent was not responding What about Sylvia?
There was nowhere to house Sylvia

17. Scene Response MCPD Crime Scene Responded Medical Examiner
MCPD Elder Abuse Unit
MC APS
MC County Code
Responded
Did not respond

18. No communication Agencies did not work together No one knew each other
No one trusted each other
Lots of frustration
Change had to happen

19. How did we make this happen?
Collaboration Begins
How did we make this happen?

20. Police 2013: took over DV/Elder Unit Moved to Family Justice Center
APS Visit
APS and MCPD Elder decide to work together
Child abuse style investigations
Investigators and Agents train together
Break down barriers

21. Adult protective services
What would you do if local Police Sergeant visited your APS office?
How did he get in?
Elder Abuse prevalence is about 10%
Tip of the iceberg.
APS Social Worker Investigators typically investigate alone
How can we help each other?

22. APS Local Trends
APS growth rate = 15% last 2 years; 46% over last 5 years
Number of Abuse/Neglect cases increase by 61%
Financial Exploitation cases nearly Triple – 286% increase
# of suspicious deaths increase: Natural versus Neglect/Abuse

23. Elder/Vulnerable Adult Abuse Task Force
What is ideal?
Elder/Vulnerable Adult Abuse Task Force
EVAATF

24. Collaborative Investigations Who is at the table?
Adult Protective Services Family Justice Center Domestic Violence/Elder Abuse Unit State’s Attorney’s Crimes Against Seniors and Vulnerable Adults Homicide Unit Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service Ombudsman Office of the County Attorney
Discuss briefly what each does…flip flop between Mario and Jordan each line

25. EVTAAF

26. The Multi-disciplinary approach
Members of the group have various backgrounds Complimentary experiences, knowledge, and qualifications Skills that advance the investigation and assist the victim(s)

27. Actions Taken APS and Police Leadership on speed dial
Commitment to 24x7 assistance
MOU with Local Multi-Disciplinary Elder/Vulnerable Adult Abuse Task Force
Safety Police Academy

28. What Police can expect from APS Investigator
Investigation of abuse, neglect and/or exploitation and a safety plan
Evaluation of client risk and mental capacity
Emergency Psychiatric Petition if required
Develop a client centered plan of care
including resource linkages
Follow NAPSA guidelines for investigations
Ongoing support to client

29. What can APS expect from Police?
Secure the scene, keep victim/APS Investigator from harm, preserve evidence
Observe if a crime committed, arrest as warranted
Develop a comprehensive criminal investigation
Separate victim from alleged abuser
Notify appropriate agencies
i.e. access EMS if hospitalization needed

30. Do we need to work together? Why?
Hold perpetrators accountable when interviews and evidence properly gathered for prosecutor
Reduce victim re-traumatization with joint interviews and investigations
Learn and stay in our professional lanes
Document spontaneous utterances

31. Case study how we investigate now
Kirkland Case

32. WARNING: The next photographs may be disturbing
Victim: Kirkland
WARNING: The next photographs may be disturbing

33. Kirkland Case Victim’s son was caretaker Brought her to hospital
Large wound on back
APS/MCPD Elder Unit responded
Coordinated Investigation

34. James Kirkland TRIAL Charged with: Convicted of: Sentenced to:
Involuntary Manslaughter and Vulnerable Adult Abuse
Convicted of:
Vulnerable Adult Abuse
Sentenced to:
Ten years and three years probation

35. Coordinated Response APS and police responded to hospital and scene
Relatively seamless coordination between agencies
Evidence transferred between agencies to further each side of case
Victim was removed from custody of son and eventually passed due to her lack of care
Son, arrested and charged

36. Case Summary Coordinated responses work
The first case took several years and resulted in minimal prison time
The second case from start to conviction was approximately two years with a ten year prison sentence
Both agencies benefit from this working relationship

37. APS/PD Joint Joint Training

38. MCPD/MC APS Joint Safety Training
Noted that APS Agents travel to homes alone
Backup not always near
APS Agent injured in an event
Coordinated safety training was implemented

39. Joint Training
SAO, MCPD, MC APS conduct yearly training on various topics
Assist in training new APS agents, investigators, and prosecutors
Conduct case reviews

40. Summary Collaboration works
APS Agents and Law Enforcement Investigators learn from each other
Re-victimization is lessened by working together
Victims receive better outcomes
Perpetrators are held accountable

41. Thank You! Montgomery County PD Montgomery County APS
Lieutenant Jordan Satinsky
Chief Administrator Mario Wawrzusin