EDGEWATER, Fla. – Edgewater Police Department is using social media to raise awareness on registered sex offenders and other crimes.
Edgewater police are posting maps of where a sex offender is moving into the area to their Facebook page, along with posting pictures of wanted suspects and links to Volusia County's crime mapping program, which will show where officers are responding to calls in real time.
"Everyone is glued to their phones," said Amanda Swindell of the Edgewater Police Department. "Everyone has it."
The department said it gives residents the opportunity to get instant updates on what's going on in their community, even when it's not news they want to hear.
Catherine Lucy says she wasn't thrilled when Raymond Gerry, a convicted sexual predator moved into her neighborhood, but her neighbors found out through Facebook.
"You can go online and pull them up you can just see how many of them are in here," Lucy said. "I like to know what's going on in the neighborhood."