Montville, Conn. ?
Police in Montville have added a new tool to their crime-fighting arsenal: Facebook.
?About two weeks ago, Gregg Jacobson, the department?s neighborhood community watch coordinator, created a page on the social networking site that officials hope will become a conduit for information between residents and law enforcement.
?Basically, we need their help to keep this community safe,? Jacobson said. ?The idea is to reach to more townspeople and help build a safer community.?
Since launching the page, more than 220 people have joined as friends, helping to build a network of contacts across Montville that authorities hope will turn into investigative leads and faster response times.
Residents have quickly embraced the idea.
?My husband travels often with the military, so my daughter and I are home alone many times. This page has made us feel more secure, just knowing it?s there and someone is always monitoring its activity,? said Laura Danao, who has lived in town for 40 years. ?The page is great for Montville, and is definitely making a positive impact on my family, and others in town as well.?
Montville police are the latest to create a presence on Facebook. Ledyard, Norwich and Plainfield police departments have pages on the site, as well as the Connecticut State Police.
Paul Chenail, of Moosup, who works as the Plainfield Police Department?s mechanic, said having a presence on Facebook helps police keep in touch with the community.
?If somebody does want to leave a tip, the information is on there, and it helps make the community aware of what we have going on,? said Chenail, who is featured in a photograph on the page. ?A lot of people have Facebook, so to jump on and search for the Plainfield Police Department, it?s good we?re on there and have something.?
Montville?s page has already led to at least one success story.
Recently, a child in town had his bicycle stolen, and after word spread on Jacobson?s Facebook page, a new bike was donated just a short time later.
Other people have used it to find information on licensing, registration and zoning ordinances.
Though Montville already has several neighborhood watch groups established, Jacobson said getting in touch with organizers via email can sometimes be inefficient.
But sending messages en masse through Facebook gets information out more quickly, and also builds trust between the sides, he said.
?I felt I could reach out to more people this way versus regular email,? Jacobson said. ?It?s a great resource to bring information to the people.?
Resident Heather Swift agrees.
?Like it or not, social media is the way many people keep in touch now, and if you want to put the word out quickly, put it on Facebook,? she said. ?We have up-to-the-minute access to anything we may need to know about things going on in our town.?
Jacobson also sees the department?s new resource as a valuable source of tips through the page?s email option. As its administrator, he receives all communications, providing confidentiality for those who want to report illegal activity but remain anonymous.
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