Arlington police create MySpace page to deter online predators

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Interns at the Arlington County Police Department have spent a lot of time on MySpace lately, but not because they’re goofing off.

The department Thursday started its own Web page on the popular social networking site in an attempt to deter online predators from contacting children.

Officials said they hoped children who use MySpace would add the police department to their list of “top friends,” ensuring that the department’s picture — an Arlington police patch — shows up on their home page.

“It’s kind of like a ‘beware of dog’ sign,” Special Victims Unit Lt. Brett Butler said. “Even if there’s no dog, it still makes you think. If [predators] see the police department patch, that might give them pause to think, hey, maybe I don’t want to do this.”

A retired lieutenant suggested Arlington police create a MySpace page after he saw the method used in other police departments around the country, Butler said.

College interns in the department’s criminal investigations section designed the page and continue to manage it, he added.

Arlington has two full-time officers and one part-time officer who are trained to catch online predators and operate as part of a regional task force.

Police have arrested and charged three men with online crimes this year, including a Swedish national who traveled to Arlington to meet a fictitious 14-year-old girl and a Chantilly High School Spanish teacher and track coach who made contact with a detective posing online as an underage girl.

“We don’t want to mislead any kids or their parents into thinking this will completely protect them online,” Police Chief Doug Scott said. “But if they add a link to our page, hopefully the police emblem will scare off anyone with unscrupulous motives.”

The Web page — myspace.com/acpdmyspace — has links to information about safety and crime prevention and online forms for reporting crimes and drug activity.

Under the Web site’s “who I’d like to meet” category, the department listed, “All concerned and responsible residents of the county.”

As of Thursday evening, the department had 12 online friends, including the police departments of Boynton Beach, Fla., Miami-Dade, Fla., and Cherryvale, Kan.

tluntz@dcexaminer.com

Advertisement