Crime fighting's new dynamic duo

When you hear the term "dynamic duo" applied to crime-fighting, you wouldn't be faulted for thinking of Batman and Robin, but the modern version involves a more unlikely duo - police and social media. With the explosion of social media over the past dozen years or so, police departments have been increasingly viewing posts on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and other sites, and they will tell you that it is astounding what they sometimes find.

In addition, police are using their own Facebook pages to enlist the help of residents and the public in finding the bad guys. The International Association of Chiefs of Police reports that 95 percent of police agencies use social media - mostly Facebook, Twitter and YouTube - in their work. In 2015, 79 percent of the departments using social media said they helped crack at least one case.

Steubenville, Ohio, police, for example, put their social media skills to good use in the high-profile Steubenville rape case in 2013. Because of several incriminating posts on social media sites, two high school football players were convicted in juvenile court. According to a representative for the Steubenville Police Department, without the evidence of tweets, videos, and Instagram and YouTube photos left online, prosecutors may not have been able to make such a convincing case.

Sgt. Adrian Acevedo of the South Orange, New Jersey, Police Department said his department tracks what's being posted on these social media sites. "So if there's information that's public, we can use that to track trends or pre-empt illegal activities that might go on," Acevedo told a local newspaper.

An example he cited was when his city had problems with flash mobs which were mobilizing to commit crimes. Sometimes as many as 300 people would show up, mostly juveniles. "By monitoring social media, we can mobilize our police forces to be there waiting to stop it from getting out of hand," Acevedo said.

Lansford Police Department has a Facebook page where it asks for the public's help, dispenses information and gives attaboys to members of the force who perform outstanding service.

Last month, for example, the page praised team efforts in minimizing damage to new sidewalks installed in the borough's business district. "The Lansford Police, assisted by the great cooperation of borough residents and the general contractor, were able to quickly focus this investigation and determine the identities of the involved juveniles," the page said.

On-duty officer Josh Tom was cited for his quick action. Had he not acted so quickly, the contractor, George's Paving and Excavating would have had to remove and reinstall about four sections of sidewalk, police officials said.

A Lansford mother posted a notice that her son's bike had been stolen. She gave a description, said the bike is "nothing special," but that it is all that her son had, and she can't afford to get him another one.

The Weatherly Police Department's Facebook page reported last month it had solved a case dating back to 2012. "Officers from the department worked this cold case and never gave up on finding the suspects," the page said.

The Rush Township Facebook page last month posted a photo of a felony suspect, asking residents who knew his whereabouts to contact the township police and promising that "all tips will remain confidential."

In March, a photo of a retail theft suspect at the Walmart store in Hometown was posted, followed shortly thereafter by this message: "The suspect has been identified and arrested; thanks for all the public help."

Summit Hill Police Chief Joseph Fittos said his department does not have a Facebook presence but wants one, although he could not predict when that might happen.

"It provides a good outreach to the community," he said, noting that it's a way to get word out that vehicles need to be moved for snowplowing or other safety information. He also believes it will help to solve crimes, just as it has done in other communities. In the meantime, the borough has a Facebook page which helps get police department announcement to the public.

In this respect, the social media phenomenon acts like the old "Wanted" posters at your local post office, but with one big exception. While the photos in the post office might be seen by a dozen or so patrons a day, the extraordinary reach of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube means that hundreds of users might see these photos and descriptions of suspects. On top of that, information can be updated instantaneously.

The Mahanoy Township Facebook page gives updates on road conditions, warns residents of scams and tries to get the public to report instances of solicitation.

Not all material on local Facebook pages is serious. In addition to including news releases about cases the department is working on, the Stroud Area Regional Police in Monroe County posted an illustration of two handcuffs arranged in such a way as to resemble a four-leaf clover to commemorate St. Patrick's Day.

Departments are seeking out knowledgeable social media officers. Some come equipped with the knowledge when they join the force, while others undergo training to make social media platforms pay dividends in crime apprehension.

That was the case in Boynton Beach, Florida, where police asked for the public's help in solving the holdup of a man at an ATM by a motorcyclist. The department posted a video from the ATM security camera of the crime in progress. Within 24 hours, police received a tip and arrested the suspect.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com