Greenwood Indiana Police Expand Beat to MySpace

I was just browsing the City of Greenwood, IN website to see if my softball game for tonight was canceled. It is, but while I was there I noticed an article about Greenwood City Police starting use MySpace.

The Greenwood Police Department recently joined the millions of others that use the Internet social networking site known as “MySpace”.  By creating this presence, Detective Eric Klinkowski and Chief Joe Pitcher, hope that teens will list the Greenwood PD site as their top friend on their own MySpace page.  They believe that this could act as a huge deterrent to predators seeking out young victims.  The site also allows the Police Department to post information about recent crimes that the public may have witnessed or can assist in solving.

Here’s their About Me blurb:

THIS PAGE IS NOT FOR REPORTING EMERGENCIES! PLEASE CALL 911 OR (317) 882-9191. THE GREENWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONNECTION WITH ALL LOCAL AREA YOUTH! ADD US AS YOUR #1 FRIEND TO HELP KEEP YOURSELF SAFE ONLINE! DISCLAIMER: GREENWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CONTENT FOUND ON OTHER MYSPACE PROFILES LINKED TO OR THAT CAN BE FOUND ON OUR FRIENDS LIST, NOR ARE WE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY COMMENTS, PHOTOGRAPHS OR PERSONAL VIEWS OF INDIVIDUALS ADDED TO OUR FRIENDS LIST. ALL FRIENDS ARE ADDED ON GOOD FAITH. ANY INFORMATION FOUND TO BE DEROGATORY OR OFFENSIVE ON OUR FRIENDS LIST WILL BE REMOVED.

Aside from someone telling them they shouldn’t be SCREAMING their about me blurb I think this is a fantastic idea. I’m not sure how effective it will be at their goal, but it’s an interesting tactic. There’s surely nothing to lose in the venture. What’s your opinion?