ST. PAUL, Minn. -- While it seems like we've heard a lot about the power of social media, we found some true believers in Grid 87 of St. Paul's Frogtown Neighborhood. A unique partnership has turned Facebook into a crime fighting friend.
"This year, especially, there's been an uptick in crime in our neighborhood," Eric Haugee, who started the secure Facebook page 2 years ago, said. The "friends" found a willing "poster" in St. Paul Police Department Senior Commander Todd Axtell.
"He will chime in about why they were there, what they were doing there, alert us to any suspicious activity going on," Haugee explained. Neighbors also tell police about the suspicious activity they see and it has lead to a potential drop in prostitution and drug dealing.
Recently Axtell posted a mug shot of a burglary suspect on the page. He was caught a few days later and charged with 5 break-ins.
"This community's become very active in partnering with us to combat crime. This group is really setting the standard for what community participation is," Sen. Commander Axtell concluded.
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