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iCrime Fighting DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Lakewood Neighborhood Association often links to Nixle, the online service that alerts the public to police, traffic and emergency information. Users can receive alerts on their phones or by email, and within a few minutes, the Dallas Police can alert thousands of people through Nixle and iWatch Dallas, a similar service offered as a smart phone app.
Police recently put out an alert about a man impersonating a police officer in the White Rock Lake area. By the time the perpetrator’s face made the evening news, iWatch users already were on the lookout.
The Dallas Police Department also has arrived on the Facebook scene, posting regularly about wanted criminals, safety tips and crime trends, as well as department news. As far as solving crime goes, iWatch Dallas has been more effective than Facebook because it allows neighbors to send tips to police, says Deputy Chief C.L. Williams. Facebook is so public and personal that people rarely use it to send in crime tips, but it is an effective way for people in the community to feel connected to police, he says. To “like” the Dallas Police Department on Facebook makes the department seem more accessible.
Dallas Police YouTube Channel
youtube.com/
DallasPoliceDept
Dallas Police post surveillance videos of crimes on the DPD You Tube channel. The popular video-sharing site allows police to seek the public’s help in identifying suspects as well as locating missing people and solving various types of cases.
iWatch App
dallaspolice.net
The iWatch appprovidesthree options: Send in a text only, send in a text with a picture, or send an anonymous tip. You can also text a tip by typing DPD plus your tip to 274637, or you can call 214.671.4TIP.
Profile (n) A user’s personal presence on Facebook. From here you communicate with Facebook friends, display photos, share favorite news articles and post other actions.
Friend (n) A Facebook user with whom you have connected. Friendships on Facebook are initiated by one party with a friend request and confirmed by the second party.
Page (n) It looks like a personal profile, but pages are the Facebook presence for public figures, organizations or business brands.
Fan (n) A user who has clicked the “like” button on a Facebook page. When you “like” a page, it connects you with entities you find important or enjoy, such as a retail store, politician, media outlet or TV show.
Group (n) Private or public, small or large, groups are spaces where users can gather to communicate about anything specific, such as hobbies, interests or causes.
Status update (n) This is a message that Facebook users can post for their friends to see.
In the past year or so Facebook has become the new front porch, a portal for community.
