As always in prevention work, it is impossible to measure how many elderly people Manuel Lisboa, Gerd Bahnsen and Manfred Nöcker have saved from the perfidious scams of con artists, fake grandchildren and fake police officers in their years as senior citizen safety advisors in Solingen. But it can be said with a clear conscience that there must have been many.
Now Manuel Lisboa (80) has retired after 16 years and his colleagues Gerd Bahnsen (82) and Manfred Nöcker (76) after 11 years into their well-deserved second retirement.
"It was important to me to thank you personally for your commitment and service to society," said Police Commissioner Markus Röhrl at the ceremony to bid farewell to the three volunteers this week. "It makes a huge difference whether the dangers that threaten the elderly in particular are communicated by a young person, a detective or a police officer - or, like you, at eye level," emphasized the police chief.
There is no question that the departure of the three senior citizens' safety advisors in the city of blades leaves a gap in the team. For this reason, new volunteers are urgently needed who can imagine supporting the police's prevention work.
The only requirements: You should feel fit enough, have empathy and enjoy being in contact with people.
The senior safety advisors inform senior citizens at eye level about crime and traffic accident prevention issues.
The volunteers, who receive comprehensive training for their role, have already been active in three teams in the Bergisch city-triangle for around 20 years.
The senior safety advice service is a joint project between the Wuppertal district police authority and the cities of Wuppertal, Solingen and Remscheid and is free of charge and neutral.
Further information on senior safety advice and contact details can be found here:
https://redaktion-wuppertal.polizei.nrw/artikel/seniorensicherheitsberatung