May 26, 2009 — You don't have to go to the post office anymore to see the Virgin Islands' most wanted.
Instead, you can join the more than 160,000 Internet visitors who have checked out the V.I. Police Department website.
But the rogue's gallery isn't its most heavily trafficked page; that honor goes to the new press release pages (accompanied by voice-over), with the "Work with us" careers section the second most visited part of the site.
"It has helped people in making contact with out recruiters," Assistant Commissioner Novelle Francis said.
Those with tips on crimes or suspects, can click on the link to Crime Stoppers to give a totally anonymous tip — and get a reward for it, if it nets a criminal.
The V.I.P.D. has its own anonymous tip area on the web page. From the menu on the left hand side of the page, select "crime" and then "anonymous tips."
But if what you want is email or telephone access, you have only to select "About Us" then click on "Contact Us" for email addresses and phone numbers for the commissioner, the police chiefs or heads of the traffic and major crimes bureau. The list includes numerous other facets of the department, including the government vehicle abuse hotline, 715-5507.
Use of the website has been on the rise, according to VIPD spokeswoman Melody Rames. So far this year, statistics show the site has been accessed by 164,000 unique visitors already more than the number of visits for all of 2008 — 133,939 unique visitors.
Visitors are using the site in a variety of ways, Francis said.
"There is an area for feedback for the office of the commissioner and the office of the chief of police," Francis explained.
People are using the site to answer questions on how to review a police report, for personal interest, and some people use it when trying to make contact with a family member in the Virgin Islands.
The site is continually being updated, according to Rames.
"The V.I.P.D. has come a long way in putting out a website of interest to the people of the Virgin Islands, however there is more that we can do," Rames said. "We are attempting to continually improve it."
For example, Rames said that she'd like to see the site used as a tool to track stolen vehicles.
The site could also be helpful as an internal tool as well, Francis said, with a calendar and applications to notify staff of training and other events.
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