Sheriff Crystal Cline Empowers Seniors with Message of Safety and Support at TRIAD Expo

Sheriff Crystal Cline opened the 2025 Front Royal/Warren County TRIAD Senior Expo on October 9 with a message filled with appreciation, information, and empowerment, reminding local seniors they are not alone in facing the challenges of aging, especially when it comes to safety and scams.

Held at the Front Royal Elks Lodge, the annual expo welcomed dozens of area seniors, law enforcement officers, and support organizations. Sheriff Cline took the stage to offer heartfelt thanks to the volunteers and agencies that made the event possible.

“Thank you to all the volunteers for all their hard work on setting up everything and ensuring that the coffee is here, the food is here, and all the tables and everything look beautiful,” she said. She also gave special recognition to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office Community Policing Unit, highlighting their essential role in keeping residents of all ages connected and safe. “There are a lot of things we can be doing in our community, a lot of partnerships, and I think it’s very, very important,” she said.

The TRIAD/S.A.L.T. program, a partnership among seniors, law enforcement, and community organizations, has been operating in Warren County since 2001. Its mission is to promote safety and reduce victimization of older adults. “TRIAD is exactly what it sounds like,” Sheriff Cline explained. “It’s a three-way partnership… to reduce crimes against older adults and improve the quality of life.”

The Sheriff’s remarks emphasized both awareness and action, encouraging seniors to protect themselves and one another by utilizing knowledge and taking advantage of local resources.

She outlined several key programs available through the Warren County Sheriff’s Office:

• Operation Telephone offers daily wellness calls to seniors who live alone. “It’s nice hearing a human voice sometimes without it coming from the TV,” Sheriff Cline said. “Life gets busy… but it is a free resource. Sign up.”
• Project Lifesaver provides a wearable locator device for individuals at risk of wandering or becoming disoriented. “This locator makes it easy for law enforcement to track and locate that person very, very quickly,” she noted, sharing a personal story of a past search that lasted hours.
• RAVE Alerts provide automated notifications about emergencies, such as severe weather or missing persons. “Our communications center can draw diagrams and say, ‘in this neighborhood, be on the lookout,’” she explained.
• Smart911, perhaps the most critical, allows residents to provide detailed personal and medical information in advance to 911 dispatchers. “It will pop right up… so deputies and rescue teams can respond more efficiently and save lives,” she said.

Beyond these services, Sheriff Cline delivered a strong warning about scams targeting seniors, encouraging those in attendance to stay alert and seek help early.

“Pause before you pay,” she urged. “There is no government agency that is going to call you and tell you that you have warrants or an unpaid bill and that you’re going to be arrested immediately. None. Hang up.”

She also warned against trusting the caller ID alone. “They will spoof that number. If something seems off, hang up. Look up the number and call them directly,” she said.

The Sheriff shared simple yet powerful tips: involve a trusted friend when making decisions, guard against loneliness, and report suspicious activity early. “These predators prey on your loneliness,” she said. “They build relationships slowly. But when someone you don’t know is asking for money, the answer is no.”

She ended her remarks with a personal and emotional call to action.

“You are not alone. We are your friends. Call us anytime — 24 hours a day,” Sheriff Cline said. “If you are woken up at 2 a.m. and you are unsure of what’s going on, call us. We will answer the phone.”

Her closing words prompted enthusiastic applause across the room:“Pick up the armor and walk out that door with the armor. When you have the knowledge, we can make good decisions all around. We got you.”

For more information on TRIAD and the services mentioned, contact the Warren County Sheriff’s Office at 540-635-4128.