Medina: Police using Facebook to make arrests

MEDINA -- The phone call caught the police dispatcher by surprise. A resident wanted to pass along a Facebook tip that a local man with an outstanding arrest warrant had just been spotted. "Facebook" tips are something new in Medina.

Just a few weeks ago, the Medina Police Department embraced the social media phenomenon of Facebook and began displaying an entire gallery of pictures.

No vacation pics here, these are all mug shots of suspects with active arrest warrants issued by Medina Municipal Court. Officer Sara Lynn came up with the concept and quickly became the police department's Facebook web master.

Officer Lynn said, "I'm a big Facebook fan myself and I thought it was a great idea."

Chief Patrick Berarducci was completely open to the social media plan and was amazed at the instant feedback the department started to get.

"We received our first tip last weekend and made the arrest a few hours later," said Berarducci. Chief Berarducci added, "If you can get on the internet, you can get on our Facebook page and view all the people wanted by the Medina Police Department."

For years, the warrants were stacked neatly in drawers in the police department. Now the information and mug shots are reviewed and added to Facebook every day by Officer Lynn.

"We've got 115 wanted pictures in our Facebook gallery right now," said Lynn. "We took one down on Monday because that person had been arrested after we received a Facebook tip." Lucas Stewart was the person arrested by Medina Police after his picture was featured on Facebook. His girlfriend, Mindy Stringfield, says the warrant was a technical mistake and that Lucas wasn't trying to evade reporting to police after his arrest.

Stewart even supports the Medina Police Facebook project.

"I think it's good," said Stewart. "Even if it's my own sweetheart they are looking for. I've got 3 kids and I don't want them in danger if somebody's wanted on Facebook and they take my kids, you know."

Medina plans to use Facebook to send out all sorts of safety related messages to its "friends," now numbering over 500.

"I think every employer in Medina should use our page to check out potential applicants," said Berarducci. "And let me suggest that, if somebody out there finds their picture featured on our Facebook page, they better pick up the phone and call us."