The tsunami taught the Maui Police Department about using social media to get information out more quickly during an emergency. Now, they’ve joined and .
“We’re trying to keep up with the times,” said Lt. Wayne Ibarra, the department’s spokesman.
He said the department learned during the March tsunami that many people got their information through Twitter.
Maui PD is the first of the four Hawaii county police departments to join Facebook or Twitter. The Honolulu Police Department has but hasn’t updated it since Feb. 28.
Maui PD says it plans to use social media to help get the word out about police recruiting and other projects. Its first Facebook post tells members of the public what number to call if family members become lost or disoriented:
“The Maui Police Department wants to encourage family members and caregivers of adults who may become disoriented and lost to call Community Relations at 244-6380. We have a Disoriented Persons Identification Form we would like to assist you in completing. This form will assist police and emergency services personnel in locating, recognizing and returning these persons home safely.”
Read it at .
GET IN-DEPTH REPORTING ON HAWAII鈥橲 BIGGEST ISSUES
Support Independent, Unbiased News
Civil Beat is a nonprofit, reader-supported newsroom based in 贬补飞补颈驶颈. When you give, your donation is combined with gifts from thousands of your fellow readers, and together you help power the strongest team of investigative journalists in the state.