The current technology driven world has forced local law enforcement agencies to turn more into social media tools to keep the public informed and even solve various crimes. County Sheriff’s Office in Washington has been using and utilizing a Facebook page for about a year which has around 1,000 followers. The major job of the page includes up-to-date information about crime, information about wanted suspects and significant arrests. The County Sheriff’s office posts alerts about robberies, suspects, flooding, drugg arrests and all type of crime activities that is happening around. Photos of the most wanted criminals and suspects are also posted on the Facebook page, so that the public would be kept more aware about the crime activities in their localities.
The major advantages of using social media channel such as Facebook in low enforcement activities is that people can also post their ideas and confidential information about a sensitive case or so on. This is of a great help to the law officials as they usually get confidential information about criminals, thefts, theft plans etc. A Facebook fan page also helps to arrange discussions between the officials and public that are related to make peace and order in the locality. The public can express their opinions and doubts on the Fan page and they would be getting a resonable answers and appreciation for their opinions and doubts.
Since a lot of the younger generation is using social media websites or channels such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, the low officials finds it easy to reach out to a wide audience. The social media activities can also be complemented with a regular updation of the official website of the firms. But since social media websites are much popular and easier to maintain and update, the law officials prefers social media sites over the website.
A majority law enforcement department has not yet fully utilized the advantages and benefits of social media site, and it is high time that they take the advantages of social media website seriously. Creating a Facebook fan page does not ensure the venture to be successful if it is not carried out in the proper way. So the Facebook fan page has to used and promoted in the best way to get the most response and benefits out of it. There are certain law enforcement agencies which do not have an official fan page, but has received many help from the social media channel in an indirect way.
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