Riverside Police Department announced that Sergeant Frank Pontrelli, senior citizen liaison for the police department, will start a new program to assist seniors in using smart phones and tablets. The program is geared toward the set-up of smart phones for someone who has never used one and the target audience is seniors.
Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said that introducing someone to a smart phone or tablet for the first time, you quickly realize how much you've taken for granted. From swiping to unlock and tapping to answer calls, these are things that many take for granted, but some seniors may have a difficult time understanding unless they're taught in person.
Sergeant Frank Pontrelli will be setting up appointments for seniors in Riverside to come in to the police department, or ask the sergeant to come to their home and show them how to set up their smart phone.
Recently, Sergeant Pontrelli spoke at the Riverside Senior's Luncheon and introduced the new program. He handed out his business card to all in attendance and asked them to make appointments with him so that he could program their phones and show them the features if they desire. Pontrelli said that when he held up his phone and showed it to the audience, many seniors knew how to use the call button, however, almost no one knew how to use text, photo, or the find my phone feature. This prompted Pontrelli to ask Chief Weitzel if he could start this new program.
Examples of areas Sergeant Pontrelli will be covering with seniors are:
- Saving their logon information
- Enabling find my phone
- Set up the lock screen
- Set up the most important shortcuts
- Show seniors what all the buttons do
- Set up phone and contacts
- Review email
- Research the App Store
- Research the notification center
- Settings
- Message center
Riverside seniors and their immediate family members can make appointments with Sergeant Frank Pontrelli to come to your home, if you're a Riverside resident, or come to the police department during normal business hours. Sergeant Frank Pontrelli works the day shift from the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and he may be contacted the police department at 708‑447‑2127, extension 255, or fpontrelli@riverside.il.us
Riverside Police Department is the first agency in the Metropolitan Chicago area to set up a senior's one-on-one lesson program for smart phones and tablets.