Fort Worth Police Using Social Media To Help Fight Crime & Educate
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - One North Texas police department is using a different kind of tool to fight crime... a digital approach to law enforcement.
The Fort Worth Police Department has been live tweeting as they patrol and enforce laws. Call it policing in 2018: a live play-by-play of police enforcement by officers on Twitter.
Way too fast (white SUV far left lane)....64 mph past the first emergency vehicle; supposed to slow down to 45 mph (20 below limit).#Awareness #SafetyFirst pic.twitter.com/khthJ56CRr
— Fort Worth Police (@fortworthpd) June 18, 2018
"The main thing of us going live on social media is to interact with our viewers and let our viewers know what these officers are doing," said Ofc. Jimmy Pollozani, spokesman for the Fort Worth Police Dept.
Fort Worth police were busy live tweeting this weekend to introduce its West 7th detail to the Twitterverse, showing officers responding to a medical call at a bar, and interviewing the officers later.
Medical call for an intoxicated person at Morton and Norwood.#drinkresponsibly pic.twitter.com/71KK2NFpCa
— Fort Worth Police (@fortworthpd) June 17, 2018
Police say citizens can have direct contact with an officer about a specific topic and can get answers without having to wait.
"I know we had one specific one [question] of towing. People were thinking that we were towing cars down there but it's actually the local businesses," said Pollozani.
The department used it again to highlight the move over law. It requires drivers to move over to a lane away from an emergency stopped on the side of he road. Monday police issued 29 citations in 30 minutes for drivers who didn't obey the law.
FWPD officials say the department will take requests from citizens about other types of enforcements or aspects of police work they are curious about and they will keep tweeting.