The Broward County Sheriff, as well as the police in Boynton Beach and Boca Raton, Florida, were recently highlighted in a news story by the Boson Herald. These are just a few of the agencies that have adopted social networking as a way to access citizens, both to disseminate information and to collect it.
These agencies have set up accounts on Twitter and Facebook. Through these sites, the police are able to post bulletins about public safety issues, community announcements, etc. In addition, citizens who have become fans on Facebook, or those who follow the Twitter feed, can send messages to the police department.
For example, recently, the Boyton Beach PD tweeted asking for the identity of a man who recently robbed a gas station at gunpoint. The tweet linked to a photo of the suspect. Although the case has yet to be solved, the demographic of people who use social media is expanding, and law enforcement agencies have the potential to access thousands of eyes and ears on the street, something they have never had access too before.
Source: http://bostonherald.com/jobfind/news/technology/view.bg?articleid=1180408
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