When scouring MySpace for friends, users might stumble across their local police department. Some police departments use social networking Web sites to interact with communities and solve crimes. The Tampa, Fla., Police Department officially launched its MySpace page in August 2008, but started it earlier to build a base of friends, and upload pictures and videos of crimes they were trying to solve.

According to its MySpace page, the department's mood is "determined" (MySpace users can alert visitors as to their current mood). Next to the profile picture, which is a police badge, are the words, "Help us solve crimes! Add us as your friend!"

"We were trying to find a way to get our message out there more, but also to a younger demographic," said Andrea Davis, spokeswoman for the police department.

The Tampa PD uses the blog area to post information, pictures and videos of crimes under investigation. At press time, it had yet to receive any tips through MySpace, but had more than 200 friends.

"It's going to be whatever major crimes we're trying to solve, whether it's robberies, burglaries, anything that could help us solve crimes," Davis said.

As for upkeep, employees from different departments will check for messages and update information. "We have a couple people on a committee who will be doing it; someone from burglary, someone from robbery, and then also here, in our [communications] office, we all have access to it," Davis said.