Staff Writer

It’s a social-networking Web site, but more and more people are taking care of business on Facebook each day, including Arundel Contract Deputy Sheriff Matt Nadeau of the York County Sheriff’s Office. 

After a day of training about how the Internet can be a useful tool in law enforcement, Nadeau became interested in how a school resource officer in New Hampshire used Facebook to connect with students in school, but also learned about parties or drug trafficking. 

“We set up an account specific to Arundel area only to get things off the ground in a smaller area. My hopes are it is a way to get information out in a short amount of time,” Nadeau said. 

The Facebook account is accessible only to those with their own Facebook profile, which is free. Users can locate it by searching “Deputy Matt Nadeau” on the site and adding Nadeau as a friend. Once he confirms the request, “friends” are able to view the officer’s page and Nadeau’s daily posts, including press releases from York County Sheriff’s Office. Nadeau said he will monitor the site, updating it with new information and reaching out to the community in an “unconventional” means. 

In a note posted at 12:10 p.m. on April 20, Nadeau wrote, “Over the past month the Sheriffs Office has responded to three reports of stolen motorized dirt bikes, scooters, or mopeds in Arundel. These items were left unsecured in the driveways of victims. No suspects are known at this time and the Sheriffs Office is still investigating. Please report any suspicious activity to our office immediately at 324-1113. You are also asked to secure your motorized bikes in efforts to deter further thefts.”

The posting encourages people to take precautions and secure their own motorized bikes, but also encourages reporting activity by calling or even responding to the post. 

“This is another way to contact us if you’re not comfortable with calling. Some people aren’t comfortable with calling us,”  Nadeau said. 

York County Sheriff’s Office in Arundel is one of a few law enforcement offices in Maine to join the social-networking site. Others, including Auburn and Westbrook police departments and the  Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, have a Facebook page so members can become “fans” of the department without needing further confirmation from the page host.  

Cumberland County Captain of Criminal Investigation Don Goulet said after four weeks the department’s page has nearly 400 fans with nearly a couple thousand hits on the Web site. 

“Our press releases and weekly arrest logs go out on the page and we’ve had positive feedback. People are looking at it,” Goulet said. “We look at it as another tool.”

Goulet said the department posts the same information to its Web site, but has found mostly local media using it as a resource. 

With more people joining Facebook, he said social network Web sites are becoming diversified which allows the department to provide more people with information.

“We haven’t gotten any tips yet, just some general complaints of speeding,” Goulet said. 

“It’s an out-of-the-box way to doing our job. It’s kind of unconventional, but has show success in law enforcement,” Nadeau said. 

Staff writer Emma Bouthillette can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 237.