YouTube Becoming An Important Tool For Police

Amateur moviemakers, practical jokers and those looking to be famous have used the Internet phenomenon YouTube to get their message to the masses and now police are utilizing this powerful technological tool.

Hamilton homicide detectives have posted a minute-long clip of surveillance video from a hip-hop concert the night that a 22-year-old man was killed hoping the public can help them track down ‘persons of interest’ in the case.

The video has been viewed more than 2,000 times since it was uploaded to the popular website earlier this month.

“Posting the video just made sense to me,” Staff Sgt. Jorge Lasso said.
  
“Our target demographic, the age group of people who was present at that concert, is the same age group of people who has made a habit out of watching YouTube and chatting online.”

The video clip hasn’t yet resulted in any arrests, but police say it’s generating buzz and getting people talking.

“The Internet is like having an encyclopedia at your finger tips — people post their lives online and we can easily access that information,” Lasso said.

Using the World Wide Web to catch criminals is a growing trend that the Hamilton force is trying to use to its full potential. Officers are taking a course at the Canadian Police College on using the Internet as an investigative tool.

While police are posting videos hoping to attract your attention, the opposite is true on the popular site as well.

A first-person street racing clip allegedly posted by two Winnipeg teenagers earlier this year drew the attention of authorities. The pair is scheduled to appear in court next month to face a slew of charges.

To watch the Hamilton Police video posted on YouTube, click here.

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