Image Credit: toledoblade.com
Detective Janet Zale, a police detective from the Oregon PD has received an international award for solving crime by using social media. Det. Zale had worked in the Oregon PD for 23 years, and as a detective for 10. ConnectedCOPS.net, a web site that promotes Internet use for solving crimes, has named her Social Media Investigator of the Year.
People use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to connect with today’s world, but what about their role in fighting crime. When the Oregon PD began using Facebook in 2010, Det. Zale was put in charge of the content. Since then, lots of cases have been solved simply by uploading pictures, posting videos or tweeting information. These days security cameras offer images with good quality, which she posts on the department’s Facebook page hoping for tips from helpful citizens.
The announcement ceremony, which Det. Zale attended via Skype, was held in Birmingham, England last month. She competed against finalists from Finland and the Netherlands. She pointed out that social media sites are becoming more and more important as investigative tools and added that “You can always find something about someone”, and it might be just the right thing.
She also described a robbery case, which she solved through the suspects Facebook pictures. Namely, after looking at the security camera recordings she acted on a tip, again received through social networks, to land on the suspect’s Facebook page and found the same tattoo from the security camera video.
Zale’s next step is to start a Pinterest account for posting pictures of stolen property.
Also read: Top 10 Shocking Crimes Through Social Media
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