NCJ Number
169897
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1998) Pages: 59-60
Date Published
1998
Length
2 pages
Annotation
Police agencies are developing websites as a means of providing information to the public and sharing information with other police agencies.
Abstract
The website of the Burlington, Mass., Police Department has crime prevention tips and information about the staff. The police chief in Reading, Pa., notes that a website lets the police agency present the image of the department to thousands of people. The Reading website describes programs and provides information on missing persons and on addressing crime. Police agencies can also learn from other agencies by reviewing their websites. A website can offer addresses and telephone numbers, a history of the department, crime statistics, and an overview of programs for youth and the community. Constructing a website is not difficult. Some local Internet providers have provided free websites for police agencies. Future websites may be more interactive and could become a way to report crimes. The future uses of websites and the Internet are still evolving.