West Midlands police take to twitter

West Midlands Police have announced they will be taking to the Twittersphere in their battle against crime.

Bobbies will be using all manner of new media including micro-blogs and Facebook in a bid to connect with communities.

Chief Insp Mark Payne, said: "Our research has shown that large groups of people are now using social media and not just the young.

"We will continue to communicate with the people we serve across the West Midlands in traditional way, but social media is another opportunity for us to listen and pass on information."

Some officers in the force are in the early stages of setting up blogs to 'talk' to the neighbourhoods where they work.

Chief Insp Payne said: "Twitter means we get can get short messages out to people quickly to let them know about initiatives we are carrying out in their area.

"We can use tweets as a way of directing people to more detailed information which may help prevent them becoming a victim of crime."

Let's take a look at what the police might say on twitter, given so much of that posted is either textspeak, what people had for breakfast and 'meaningful' observations on life:

@hungrybobby Receive intelligence local chippie @oceanbar is closing early proceed under blue lights to collect lunch for station

@Bluepatrol LO LO LO Whats going on ere thn?

@arrestingoffice @criminalelement UR ncked

@hungrybobby Member public takes picture of panda car in disabled bay outside @phillpotssandwiches arrest person for obstructing officer