On February 14, social media agency, fishbat Inc., releases a statement commenting on the New York Police Department's use of social media to track down gang members in Brooklyn.

According to the article published by the NY Daily News, police officers from the 73rd Precinct in Brownsville, Brooklyn have confiscated more guns than any other precinct in the city. The article said these police officers took 199 guns off the streets last year – over 40 more than 2011. It was the highest number of firearms confiscated in any precinct last year. The department's success was achieved by simply scouring social media for clues related to weapons or gang activity.

In the article, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said last month that nearly 60 percent of the murders in the city involved handguns. The article also said that 92 people were shot in Brownsville in 2012 – the highest of any NYC precinct.

Deputy Inspector Joseph Gulotta said social media has changed how police look for criminals. Officers perform routine Facebook searches using gang slang to single out people who might be involved in major crimes. Experienced cops familiar with gang-related lingo can easily recognize references to illegal activity on social media. For instance, the article said if a search result lists a variation of “OccFam,” that page or profile probably refers to the violent gang, the Crips.

Justin Maas, VP of Client Relations for social media agency fishbat, Inc., comments, saying that social media is not just for friends or marketers. “Most people think social media is a tool used for stalking old friends or catching up with family members,” he said. “However, the NYPD is showing how social media – which is, from one view, simply a body of aggregated, raw data – can be used for all kinds of research about human activities. A simple non-invasive search gives the police clues as to who’s involved in specific gangs and what they might be planning to do. Who knows what other kind of cool, anthropological applications we'll find for social media in the future?” Maas concludes by saying more precincts should be using social media to crack down on crime or illegal activity.

So far, the 73rd Precinct has confiscated 25 guns this year, more than twice the number they'd confiscated at this time last year, the article said. “If you gather intelligence, you will get the guns off the street,” Gulotta said in the article. “It’s about targeted enforcement. It’s about focusing on the guns and the crews.”

fishbat, Inc. is a full service online marketing firm. Through social media management, search engine optimization (SEO), web design, and public relations, fishbat strives as a marketing firm to raise awareness about your brand and strengthen your corporate image.
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