We recently reported on Facebook’s nifty PR move to partner with law enforcement’s Amber Alert initiative to help find missing kids.
The social networking site worked with law enforcement to help grow the Amber Alert web page and include a “pedophile panic button” to help parents alert the site of any potential predators.
A local township in New Jersey looked towards the social networking giant to increase the reach of its Amber alert program. Since the partnership began last July, membership on the Facebook age has jumped from 14,000 to 30,000 rapidly.
“I think that’s awesome,” Amber Alert co-ordinator Cpl. Todd Chadwick of the Miramichi Police Force said Friday.
“With Facebook now part of the mix, that same alert information can now be sent to more than 30,000 Facebook members across the province, substantially increasing the chances of quickly ending an abduction.”
The partnership represents the more “mainstream” focus on social networking tools for business benefit and law enforcement good.
Law enforcement have previously used Facebook to catch underage drinkers and criminals that tend to stupidly post pictures of their crimes.
But the cops aren’t Facebook’s only ally.
Facebook has also allowed criminals to have their own fan pages. For example, the site has a fan page for the real life main character from “Catch Me if You Can,” Colton Harris-Moore, international plane thief and fugitive.
Cops are taking their chase to the web as more and more criminals post clues to their whereabouts and crimes on Facebook.
With 500 million users, what better way to keep an eye on everybody?
