We know that people, particularly women, use Pinterest to find things – shoes, guacamole recipes, scented candles – but what about the local area’s most wanted criminals or your grandmother’s gold wedding band that was stolen 20 years ago? Ever since the FBI used Facebook to locate the notorious James “Whitey Bulger” police departments across the nation have become social media fans.
Whether it is the mug shots of local criminals or photos of stolen goods that were confiscated and should be returned to their rightful owner – police departments are proving themselves to be social media savvy. Digital platforms are being used more than ever to solve crimes and connect police officers with their communities.
There’s the story about the police force in Richmond, VA that used Pinterest to solve a murder case, the police department in Pottstown, PA that is using Pinterest to post mug shots of their most wanted, and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department uses Pinterest to showcase the good, the bad and the ugly in their line of work. At last count, 85 boards had been created by law enforcement professionals. It is just another indication that social media isn’t just for girls but it is in fact changing the way that we communicate and conduct business as a society.
