Online Stakeout

Are you a fan of your police department? In Greenwich, Connecticut many are, on Facebook. Approximately 92 are. You read correctly. People are having conversations with the police department after they recently launched their own Facebook page.

When searching around local social media pages in the area, I came across the new page.

The digital community is helping to solve crimes, attend department sponsored block parties and look at pictures of K-9 and patrol units. They chose to use this medium after police departments in Vermont and FBI created pages last year. Greenwich police are the first to do so in Connecticut and have established an online social presence.

In addition to its wall, photos and information on the department, the page has a discussion tab where local residents can interact with members of Greenwich police. They encourage suggestions to their website and Facebook page. One woman took it a step further and wrote:

"I am so glad that someone in the police department did this. I would just like to say that I needed some help from the Greenwich Police department a few weeks ago and the officer that helped me out was very kind and understanding and I would like his bosses and everyone else to know that Police Officer JD Smith was so kind to take the time out and help me and to hear everything I had to say...Be safe and careful all you guys."

On the wall, they post wanted posters for fugitives. It is a smart move because it gets the word out and the community generally checks Facebook more than the Greenwich Police Department website.

According to the Greenwich Times, "The goal has been to improve the department's intelligence-led policing by embracing new technology and social media."

The Greenwich police are keeping up with new technology that everyone is using. They are using social media to fight crime and create a friendly connection with the residents of Greenwich. A social presence is changing the way the public views police and increases communication. People have the freedom to express their feelings and frustrations and get feedback from a social service.

When I visited the website, I noticed there were no links to its own Facebook page which is a drawback. Since it is still a work in progress, Greenwich police will probably expand their services to Twitter and mobile alerts. It is a step forward with online social media and community interaction.

Facebook conversation is taken to the next level. It creates dialogue and broadcasts information to the public. People feel more comfortable posting on the wall than calling the police station. Since people check Facebook or Twitter more often than the newspaper, this is the perfect place to share mug shots and important information.