"There's a lot of concern about security," said officer Bayard Doane of the Honolulu Police Department's Informational Resource Section. "It doesn't matter how old you are, (criminals) are not fussy about who they're targeting."

Recent high-profile cases against the elderly prompted the Police Department to launch a senior safety program yesterday, in which interested citizens will be offered daily crime prevention classes.

In his work, Doane meets seniors who've turned despondent because they feel they are being singled out as victims. "They ask, 'Why are people picking on them?'" he said. They can't figure out what they've done to deserve it, particularly after most have worked most of their lives, paid their dues and are now retired.

Crooks have the notion that because seniors are retired, they have lots of money. On the contrary, many live on fixed incomes and are struggling like everyone else, said Noelani Vierra, captain of a citizen's group that patrols the tree-lined mall where 76-year-old Wilfred Taniguchi was found lying in a pool of blood last month.

His wife, Alice, said that until the attack, she hadn't felt vulnerable. "Maybe because (the victims) are old, the young ones figure that the old ones are easy prey," she said.

Area residents still haven't gotten over the attack by an "ice" addict on 92-year-old Fujie Hasegawa in her Aala Street apartment June 10.

Hasegawa, who lived on her own before the robbery, was found unconscious and bloodied. She has recovered but is in a care home. Rosalind Torres, 29, pleaded guilty to assaulting Hasegawa and faces sentencing in February.

One problem seniors have is that they're too trusting, Vierra said. Most grew up during a time when they could leave their doors unlocked and could walk the streets without fear. A resident manager she knows finds some of his tenants' doors wide open during the day with the elderly residents watching TV or fast asleep. She sees many seniors leaving their purses in their shopping carts or hanging them loosely from their arms.

"We have to stop looking like victims," Doane tells the seniors he speaks to. "We have to anticipate the possibility we can become victims of serious crime."

Crime occurs when there is a target, there is a desire to get something and an opportunity presents itself, he said. Seniors are natural targets because many don't have the strength or mobility to fight back or pursue the attacker. Their hearing and sight also may not be as keen, making it hard for them to memorize the suspect's description.

"We're not recommending that any senior fight anyone," Capt. Gary Dias said yesterd, relaying safety tips for seniors, such as use of fanny packs rather than purses.

Because fanny packs are difficult to yank loose, they are much safer than purses, officials said. To reinforce this, police officers on Monday will start giving out 1,300 fanny packs, donated by VoiceStream Wireless Hawaii, to seniors attending their daily crime prevention and safety presentations. Seniors interested in the sessions must call 529-3351 to register.

Recently, Kauluwela residents were awarded a grant from the Hawaii Community Foundation to fund Project Kupuna - a safety awareness program for seniors. They also hope to distribute 500 fanny packs to the elderly who attend a fair planned for next year.

At presentations to the elderly, police also distribute whistles and discuss ways to reduce the odds of being victimized, such as how to carry a purse, areas to avoid, staying in populated areas, varying walking routes and most important, trusting their instincts, said Sgt. Lester Hite of the District 1 community policing team.

Policing is not just a matter of catching crooks, but also of heading off crime through education, he said.

A big obstacle for police is when witnesses are unwilling to come forward because they don't want to get involved. Hite said those who feel that way should ask themselves, "If your mother, father, grandfather and grandmother was beaten, wouldn't you want someone to come forward? "If you're not willing to help someone else, can you reasonably expect someone to help you?"

Many of Hawaii's elderly are not just sitting back doing nothing. Many are joining groups in their neighborhoods such as Seniors Against Crime, or participate in citizen patrols or community watches.

"What can we do?" they ask Hite. "Keep plugging," is his answer. As citizen groups become stronger, so do their demands to be heard.

A resident in the Kauluwela neighborhood for 23 years, Vierra has seen the increase in violence. Occasionally she hears about residents, some elderly, being mugged. One victim suffered a broken shoulder and collarbone after she was robbed of her purse containing $10.

Vierra heads the Kauluwela Community Watch's citizen patrols, which formed in March 1993 and are manned by 25 residents. "I've gotten a lot of good help," she said.