Schenectady mugshots on Twitter
The Schenectady Police Department has started posting its arrests reports (including mugshots) online -- and it's publicizing them via a Twitter feed. It looks like the department just started this week.
Police departments have made mug shots available to the media for use in stories for years. As departments have gotten connected to the web, many departments have started posting mugshots online for everybody to browse.
Some media outlets have even turned collections of the shots into content (for example, Newsday). The St. Petersburg Times (Tampa, FL) recently launched an entire site dedicated to mugshots, which prompted a discussion about the ethics of these sites.
While it's good to see a local governmental agency sharing more info online, arrests reports are only part of the crime fighting story. It would be even better to see local police departments post crime reports online. Then the information is not just "look what we did," but also "look what we still have to do."
Some cities already do this and sites such as Everyblock have put the data to good use.
Earlier on AOA:
+ The Albany crime map: keep trying
+ Zombie Police of Schenectady
photos: Schenectady Police Department
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Comments
I think this sounds very efficient. Not only does it show us the faces of the people who perpetrate crimes in our community, it also allows us to pick out the prettiest prison pen-pal possible.
... said Siobhan on Apr 10, 2009 at 12:50 PM | link
Wow, that's awesome! I might have to go get arrested in Schenectady just for the fame and fortune it'll bring when I get my picture on Twitter!
... said Slacker on Apr 10, 2009 at 12:54 PM | link
As a preemptive disclaimer, I was having a REALLY bad hair day the last time I was in Schenectady.
... said 23-Hour Alice Person Incarcerated on Apr 10, 2009 at 1:54 PM | link
I wonder if they have officer photos up there too.
... said Kari on Apr 10, 2009 at 2:31 PM | link
Wow, and there is a good chance that the arresting officer's picture is already posted on the site.
... said JWRRJ on Apr 10, 2009 at 2:31 PM | link
As for news oulets using mugshots as content...seems to me that's just lazy "journalism".....as for the ethics of it...years ago, I would have been all for it..but I know too much now to support sensationalism as part of our justice system...
... said diana on Apr 11, 2009 at 8:57 AM | link