Traverse Narcotics Team Wants To Use Their Facebook Page To Attract Snitches

[garyfisher]

http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/story.aspx?id=1090203#.VDxMwVcfLnk

 

GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY -- People use social media every day to chat with friends and stay informed, but now law enforcement is using it too, but for a different reason.    

Traverse Narcotics Team wants to use their Facebook page to let people know where exactly they’re finding these drugs, it also gives the community another way to ask questions and give them tips.

"My feeling is that the more transparent these agencies are with the community the more good that they can do," says Flight Path Creatives account director Dan Smith.

Traverse Narcotics Team is hoping their new Facebook page will give the community a new way to contact them.

"This will allow people to contact us and ask questions. We’re going to post stories, articles about drug trends, some of the crimes; we’re going to have links to treatment centers," says Missauke County Sherriff James Bosscher.

One local marketing company says for organizations like TNT, timing is one of the most important things to get the community informed and social media can do just that.

"Something can be released or put out and thousands of people if not tens of thousands of people can be reached in a matter of minutes which is by far the fastest medium available," says Smith.

Not only will TNT continuously post local drug busts, but they will also post pictures to help educate the public on what to look for.

“So many times we get questions from parents you know, we found this in my child coat pocket what is it? So were trying to tell them this is what to watch out for, this is what a meth lab looks like, this is what a dope cite looks like,” says Bosscher.

If you have any hot tips for the team you will be able to send it in with a click of the mouse.

“We have an option for tips, it will be a secure option like the silent observer or the crime stoppers that they have, if they’re better educated we can become better partners with this drug problem," says Bosscher.

[zaphod]

"Don't do the brown acid"