Bangalore:
In a first, the Karnataka State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) joined social networking sites Facebook and Twitter recently.
Crime Department officials are banking on citizens on the social media sites to help them crack crime cases.
The initiative follows the success of crime investigators in the US and UK who used Facebook to hunt for leads in crime cases.
Senior crime department officials revealed that policemen in Australia and Switzerland were also contemplating joining the networking sites.
Dr D V Guruprasad, Director General of Police, CID, explained that law enforcement agencies can gain tremendously from networking sites.
"Such sites help policemen keep a tab on the crimes that occur in a particular community. Members of such communities can help investigators this way," Guruprasad said.
The initiative is being seen as the result of an interaction that the state police had with captains of IT/ITES industry in Bangalore last month.
"Being on social networking sites will also bring about transparency in the administration of the department and get the community involved in policing," he said.
"We plan to keep citizens informed about cases under investigation, invite tips on cyber crime, multi-level marketing frauds, narcotics, counterfeit currency, illegal possession of arms, human trafficking and wildlife offenses," Guruprasad said.
Help the CID on Facebook by joining the 'helpcidkarnataka' group or follow D Guruprasad, whose ID on Twitter is @DGPCIDKARNATAKA.
Crime Department officials are banking on citizens on the social media sites to help them crack crime cases.
The initiative follows the success of crime investigators in the US and UK who used Facebook to hunt for leads in crime cases.
Senior crime department officials revealed that policemen in Australia and Switzerland were also contemplating joining the networking sites.
Dr D V Guruprasad, Director General of Police, CID, explained that law enforcement agencies can gain tremendously from networking sites.
"Such sites help policemen keep a tab on the crimes that occur in a particular community. Members of such communities can help investigators this way," Guruprasad said.
The initiative is being seen as the result of an interaction that the state police had with captains of IT/ITES industry in Bangalore last month.
"Being on social networking sites will also bring about transparency in the administration of the department and get the community involved in policing," he said.
"We plan to keep citizens informed about cases under investigation, invite tips on cyber crime, multi-level marketing frauds, narcotics, counterfeit currency, illegal possession of arms, human trafficking and wildlife offenses," Guruprasad said.
Help the CID on Facebook by joining the 'helpcidkarnataka' group or follow D Guruprasad, whose ID on Twitter is @DGPCIDKARNATAKA.
