Fighting crime with Facebook

The Toronto Police Service is kicking its online presence up a notch.

The force’s new social media initiative will encourage officers to sign up for Facebook and Twitter pages and train them in their use for day-to-day work.

The goal is to have about 175 officers with online profiles by early November. The first group of 20-30 officers finishes training Wednesday, at which point the program will be officially announced.

“This is going to lead to a lot more trust and a lot more transparency,” said Const. Scott Mills, the force’s social media officer.

The program features more changes yet to be revealed and is designed to improve communication between police and the public. It has been in the works since Mills became the social media officer in April 2010. Before that, he was using social media in the force’s Crime Stoppers division.

“We’ve prevented some pretty serious incidents simply because people reached out to the few police officers that were using social media,” he said.

Mills said about two years ago, a Facebook friend alerted him to someone posting anti-Semitic rants on their Facebook account, which led to the person’s arrest and prevented what police deemed to be a violent threat.

“When that person called the police, the officer who answered the phone didn’t even know what Facebook was,” Mills said. “This is why we need the training.”

Officers aren’t required to participate in the program.

Earlier this month, the Toronto police website added a page where users can report lost property, crimes under $5,000 and traffic complaints.

In a video posted on the website Tuesday, Chief Bill Blair said social media will help police reach a new audience and provide more efficient service.

“I want the people in this city to have easy access to their police service and their police officers,” he said. “Social media can help us to achieve that.”

Other police forces are using social media to their advantage. After last month’s post-Stanley Cup riot in Vancouver, police received more than 3,500 email tips within five days, many linked to Facebook photos of the rioters.

Vancouver’s police chief has said he expects several hundred people to be charged as a result of the riot.

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TV Junkie: ‘Deadliest Catch’ Finale; ‘Green Room’ in Montreal; #MOACA on Facebook

“The Deadliest Catch” season finale airs tonight immediately followed by a behind-the-scenes episode. Are you still into the show or are you over crabs now? Does it still reign supreme over copycats like “Swamp Loggers” and their ilk or do you think there are already too many of these shows? Notice that it’s not in my must-watch plan tonight because there’s been just too much competition for me to stay with the show consistently but we still have a very fond spot in my heart for it.
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The best ongoing show about comedy and where it comes from is Showtime’s “The Green Room With Paul Provenza” and they’re giving away tickets for 2 tapings of the show at Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival this Saturday, July 30th, if you are going to be out there or know anybody out there. You can get details on the Green Room’s Facebook page.
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Also on Facebook is the Save Men of a Certain Age movement which is gaining some traction as industry people have heard about them but they need more “Like” folks as well as signees of their petition. Check out the Facebook page for more details – they are very well organized and are directing fans of the show to contact specific networks in the hopes of getting the Peabody Award-winning series picked up elsewhere.
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Marc Maron will be on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” tonight. Yes, the Marc Maron we interviewed and who will be on our #ChannelZero podcast to be posted here tomorrow. Yes!
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I was happy to learn that John Goodman and Michael K. Williams will be joining NBC’s “Community.” We’ve recently seen Goodman on HBO’s “Treme” and Williams as Chalky White on “Boardwalk Empire,” both incredibly good programs boosted by their performances.
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The TV Junkie Must-Watch Plan: “Web Therapy,” “Frontline” (The Pot Republic Marijuana in California), “Tosh.0,” “Chelsea Lately,” “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno NBC – Professional snowboarder Shaun White; actress Olivia Wilde), “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (Actor Steve Carell; comic Marc Maron; Matt Kim perform)

8:00pm Web Therapy Showtime – Desperate Measures Fiona plans to take advantage the sexual issues of a client in order to impress a potential investor.

8:00pm History Detectives PBS SoCal/KOCE – Japanese characters carved into a cane may unlock a family’s past in a World War II relocation camp; wooden telescope; drawing of an eight-pound gold nugget

9:00pm Deadliest Catch Discovery – Season Finale. Mohawks Madness, Goodness Gladness The Seabrooke captain fights a painful illness; the Cornelia Marie returns from what could be its final season.

9:00pm White Collar USA – As You Were Peter and Neal search for Jones’ missing naval academy friend.

9:00pm Frontline PBS SoCal/KOCE – The Pot Republic Marijuana in California; a New Jersey doctor seeks out the sickest and most expensive patients; medical care for hard to treat illnesses

9:00pm Gordon Ramsay’s Great Escape BBC America – Gordon prepares Malaysian curry for the Prime Minister; bird’s nest soup; female cooks.

9:00pm Ludo Bites America Sundance – Ludo Bites Omaha The Midwest gets a French twist as Ludo tries to change up soul food.

9:55pm Tosh.0 Comedy Central – New Tosh tonight, all is right

10:00pm Covert Affairs USA - Welcome to the Occupation Annie and Joan must assess an operative caught in a hostage crisis.

10:00pm POV PBS SoCal/KOCE – Mugabe and the White African Michael Campbell and his family defend their farm against Robert Mugabe’s land-reform program.

10:00pm Deadliest Catch Discovery – Behind the Scenes: Season 7 A rookie skipper butts heads with a veteran producer; a seasoned captain gets violent with a untried cameraman.

10:00pm Chopped Food - Sweet Second Chance! Four defeated chefs get a second chance; mystery ingredients in the appetizer round; lambs hearts in the entree basket

11:00pm Chelsea Lately E! – Wish I knew who was on, should be great though.

11:00pm Conan TBS – Actor Tom Felton; comic Steve Byrne.

11:35pm Late Show With David Letterman CBS – Actress Julianne Moore; Eels performs.

11:35pm The Tonight Show With Jay Leno NBC – Professional snowboarder Shaun White; actress Olivia Wilde; Train performs.

12:00am Lopez Tonight TBS – TV personality Tim Gunn; actress Jenna Elfman; Shaggy performs.

12:05am Jimmy Kimmel Live ABC - Actor Daniel Craig; actress Sasha Alexander; The Features perform.

12:35am The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson CBS – Actor William H. Macy; actress Karen Gillan.

12:35am Late Night With Jimmy Fallon NBC – Actor Steve Carell; comic Marc Maron; Matt Kim perform.

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