El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department is adding a detective to investigate elder abuse and financial crimes.

The county’s population is 31.62 percent over the state’s average for citizens over the age of 65.

Recent national statistics show, more than a half million reports of abuse against the elderly are reported every year, while millions more go unreported.

In El Dorado County, reported crimes of elder abuse has increased 9 percent since 2011.

The elder abuse investigator will work closely with the District Attorney’s Office, as well as the county’s Adult Protective Services.