IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — The Iredell County sheriff is launching a new social media effort to get the community's help tracking down dangerous offenders.
Sheriff Darren Campbell said social media has become one of the most helpful tools in the county's crime-fighting arsenal.
"It's unbelievable the effect it had on law enforcement," Campbell said.
The department's online posts have had such an impact, the sheriff announced he plans to focus even more on Facebook.
The sheriff will be posting the county's most-wanted criminals each Wednesday.
[Iredell County Sheriff Facebook]
"The word and the way it travels is unbelievable, and it pushes the bad guys out of those communities," Campbell said.
The most-wanted offenders are already plastered on the sheriff's website and flashing on a screen in the Sheriff's Office, but neither draws the same audience as the Iredell County Sheriff's Facebook page.
"In three minutes, to write a post like the most recent one we had, you could almost reach 100,000 people instantaneous," Campbell said.
Investigators told Eyewitness News they are posting suspects who have been on the run the longest and those with the lengthiest criminal records.
The first post a week ago featured Matthew Stacks, as a registered sex offender wanted for failing to register his address. The post has been shared more than 790 times.
Most recently, deputies posted fugitive Andrae Knox, warning people about a man scamming churches, and the post was shared more than 1,900 times.
A tipster told the sheriff the post forced the man to leave the area.
Neighbors hope the extra exposure makes a difference.
"I think it will be really great. Anything that we can use to help catch criminals especially in our county," resident Deborah Edmonds said.
Campbell said he hopes the posts encourage community members to take a more active role in keeping their communities safe.
"By having everyone's eyes and ears in the community, it's a lot easier to help find them and get them behind bars," Campbell said.
Campbell said social media has helped his department within the last three months. In October, after receiving so many tips about drug sales online, he launched Operation Southbound.
Investigators are still arresting suspected dealers based on those tips.
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