From finding associates of criminals to identifying child predators, area police say social media is playing an increasingly important role in their investigations.
"It's an incredibly helpful investigative tool," said Dana Schrad, executive director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police. "It's amazing what people will say about themselves on Twitter and Facebook."
A staggering number of people, including criminals, use social-networking sites -- there are 750 million people on Facebook, 200 million on Twitter and 100 million on Myspace. And law enforcement agencies are signing on, too.
Investigators use the sites to find people connected to a suspect, said Detective Crystal Nosal, an Arlington County police spokeswoman. She said social media and online chat rooms are also used in investigating cases of adults soliciting minors for sex. The department originally started using social media -- signing up for Myspace in 2008 -- in hopes of deterring sex predators by urging teens to become "friends" with the local police.
The sites can play prominent roles in cases. In December, an Arlington man was arrested after he made threats about bombing the Metro system in Facebook chats. And a D.C. burglar was nabbed when he posted a photo of himself with stolen goods on Facebook.
- Emily Babay
