Tracking device shows police really do walk the beat

This good news story from The Bolton News today shows us the advantages of social networking sites and how they are helping the Greater Manchester Police demonstrate the extent to which they really care about their jobs.

The town's three neighbourhood policing teams see their Twitter and Facebook accounts as crime-fighting tools and ways to build relationships with the public. Not only are the public updated with daily crime bulletins and news of suspects being charged, but they are also given an innovative insight into police work. Tracking devices fitted to bicycles used by PCSOs have shown the extensive routes they take when responding to calls.

Read the rest at the link below:

TCPW Comment: I wish I had such help back in the 1980s when I walked the beat.  My beat was one third of a mile wide and 3 miles long and had 76 streets. Fortunately I could bus the length of it if I had to get to a place in a hurry.  And when I said to a victim of crime that I would be walking an area on the lookout for a suspect or a thing, like a stolen bike for example, I did wonder how many of them believed me. But I really did do what I said and with today’s equipment and media software I could have even proved it and sent messages and pictures about the crime to my many hundreds of followers. Excellent work again by Greater Manchester Police – I’m a bit jealous!

The Bolton News: http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/11720168.Tracking_device_shows_police_really_do_walk_the_beat/