"It's a great tool for us to connect with a lot of different people," said Capt. Steve Seate with Shelby Police Department.
In North Carolina, the Shelby Police Department and Cleveland County Sheriff's Office use social media to get information out to the community and ask for help.
Advancements with technology
Over the past 25 years of his career, Seate has seen a number of changes when it comes to police work, and in his opinion it is for the better.When he first started, typewriters were used for reports, and many officers spent at least part of their shift at the station putting them together. Now everything is at their fingertips offsite, he said.
"We have access to everything either through computers or our phones," Seate said.
One of the biggest tools in their belts now is social media.
Crime solving in a digital age
Law enforcement in the county use Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to connect with a wide variety of people."Social media is a big help for law enforcement officers at this point,' Seate said.
When people look on the two departments' profiles, they will find a wide variety of posts. Their biggest hits are when they are looking for suspects in a crime.
Several months ago, a detective with Shelby posted a photo of a suspect. By the time he walked down the hall, he was already receiving calls, Seate said.
Daily the Shelby Police get tips and information about incidents through multiple social media sites, he said.
Sometimes it hinders
Social media isn't always the best thing for law enforcement."It gives everyone an opportunity to put what they think happened out there," Seate said.
He believes people may see posts from sources that aren't always the best informed and make decisions before facts are out.
But this hindrance does not outweigh the advantages, Seate said.
Keeping the public informed
These social sites are used by police for more than just asking for help. They are also used to keep the public informed.Sheriff Alan Norman decided social media was a good way to keep the public informed about where sex offenders are in the county.
Cleveland County is home to 318 registered sex offenders. The first offender went up on the Sheriff's Office Facebook page on Feb. 8.
Posts show the offenders' photo along with the name of the offense for which they were convicted, address, a personal description and the terms of their registration -- all information available on the state Sex Offender Registry.
The human side
Both agencies use their social media sites to give residents a glimpse of the people behind the badge."It helps to humanize law enforcement. To show that we are more than a badge," Seate said.
Photos show officers playing with children in neighborhoods, gathering goods for charity events and celebrating birthdays.
Technology and the future of policing
All signs point to local law enforcement continuing to expand its use of social media.Seate has seen the changes over his career and expects their will be more in the future.
"Any way that gets us to interact with the community is a good thing," Seate said.
©2019 The Star (Shelby, N.C.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
