Police Enter Social Media Scene

Department Receives Feedback From Facebook Page

— The Police Department is now on Facebook, a page intended to establish a dialogue between police and the city they serve, said Lt. Derek Hudson, public information officer.

“We would like to interact with the community,” Hudson said. “There are a lot of things we do that we’d like people know about.”

At A Glance

Springdale’s Facebook Pages

-Mayor’s Office

-Animal Services

-Fire Department

-Police Department

-Public Library

-Youth Center

-Shiloh Museum of Ozark History

Source: City Of Springdale

The Springdale Police Department’s Facebook page was created Jan. 3 with 1,053 people “liking” the page by Wednesday. Facebook is an Internet-based, social networking service. Facebook members can show they like a page or comment by clicking on a button.

Larry Clinkscales, a Springdale resident, said he learned of the department’s page while on the Washington County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page.

“I am interested in keeping up with what the Police Department is doing,” Clinkscales said.

Chad Wolf, operations manager for the Springdale Parks Department, said he keeps up with activities in the city through the Facebook pages of several departments.

“It lets me know what other departments in the city are doing,” Wolf said.

The decision to enter the Facebook world came after discussions with Capt. Mike Peters, Hudson said.

The biggest concern they had was creating a page that was effective and secure, Peters said.

The Sheriff’s Office and the Fayetteville Police Department were consulted before the page went online, Hudson said. Both have Facebook pages.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page started three years ago, said Jay Cantrell, chief deputy. It now has 5,600 likes, he said.

The site originally was designed to assist the media, Cantrell said. More information that would appeal to the general public was added when requested.

“People have liked the photos from the history of the department,” Cantrell said. “We will keep adding information and the occasional photo from our history.”

In Springdale, the decision was made to allow people to comments on items the department puts on the page, but not allow the public to make the first post on issues, Hudson said.

Posts on the page have included a warning of a road closing, information about an online crime mapping program, signing up for Smart 911 and a link to a video on what to do about an armed intruder.

“These are issues we want the public to be aware of,” Hudson said. “Things like access to the sex offender register.”

The page provides police feedback from the public and allows residents to ask questions. One person asked how close a Level 2 sex offender can live to a school. The answer, posted an hour later, states a Level 2 offender has no residency restrictions.

“If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find someone that does,” said Hudson, who manages the page.

Chief Kathy O’Kelley said she isn’t a person who uses social media, but agreed to allow the department to go on Facebook when it was proposed by Hudson and Peters.

“Facebook is part of the mainstream now,” O’Kelley said. “I’ve been pleasantly pleased on how well it’s taken off.

The Springdale Mayor’s Office Facebook page provides information about city meetings and municipal issues. The Animal Services Department page includes photos of animals in the shelter, in hope someone will adopt them.

The Springdale Youth Center page, the most popular of city pages, includes information about the facilities hours and programs.

The next move for the Police Department is Twitter, Hudson said.

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