Police departments across the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area are adopting social media tools to fight crime, according to a front page story in Sunday’s (May 20) Fort Worth Star Telegram. SIAC stepped into the social media arena almost two years ago to spread our message and connect more closely with companies and individuals in the electronic security industry. We believe it was a good move for us. Similarly, we support this move by DFW-area police departments and other law enforcement agencies across the United States.
We’ve increased the spread of our message through social media, and believe it is a great resource for law enforcement to do the same. Several examples in the story, which can be found at http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/05/19/3972529/dfw-area-law-enforcement-agencies.html, demonstrate how that happens. In one instance, a local department began posting their most-wanted felony and misdemeanor lists on Facebook. The tips they received led to eight arrests.
In another, police in Cleveland, OH, sent a Twitter message on an Amber alert. It was retweeted, as followers of the police department sent it to their connections, and the individual was quickly found.
We support public protection. SIAC and many other members in our industry work closely with law enforcement to help them do their jobs more effectively. Social media tools, like Facebook and Twitter, applied intelligently, help police departments do their jobs better and foster stronger relationships with the citizens they serve. It’s good to see police departments taking new steps to catch the bad guys. SIAC is proud to do its share to help.