MEDINA, Ohio (AP) -- A police department is updating the old practice of putting wanted pictures on post office walls by including mug shots of fugitives on its Facebook page.
It didn't take long for the department to get the type of friend request it was looking for: police made their first arrest within days of launching the site.
The police department in Medina, 30 miles southwest of Cleveland, created the Facebook page last month and included photos of suspects wanted for several crimes.
Police also use the site to post surveillance photos of crime suspects, provide links to police reports and offer safety tips to residents.
"Thirty years ago, we posted wanted fliers at the post office; today it's Facebook," said police Chief Patrick Berarducci. He added: "I'm shocked at how fast this first arrest came in."
Many police departments across the country have their own Facebook pages, but it's unclear how many use them to garner tips on wanted criminals.
Last month, federal authorities in Seattle tracked down a fugitive who was posting updates on Facebook about how much fun he was having in Mexico.
The Medina Facebook page was the brainchild of officer Sara Lynn, tapped last month to head the department's outstanding-warrant bureau.
Police arrested a 27-year-old man wanted on drug abuse and possession charges last week after someone saw his photo on the Facebook page.
Also listed are more than 800 friends of the department, many of whom offered their congratulations to police for their unique listing of wanted men and women.
"More cities should do this," a page visitor wrote. The department's Facebook photo link includes more than 130 names and photos of suspects. Some have warrants dating to the late 1990s for crimes from drunken driving to domestic violence.
A fugitive's name, charges and date of warrant are listed when the cursor is placed on a photograph.
Police ask that the public contact them with tips but recommend residents don't try to apprehend suspects themselves.
Medina, Ohio, residents should also check their postings carefully: the Medina, Washington, Police Department also has a Facebook page.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
