Facecrook, a new site utilized by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, is designed to help locate wanted criminals by posting their names and photos in a database for all to see. When you click on a particular crook, his or her last location appears on a map at the bottom of the page, letting you know where, precisely, the individual in question was spotted. If you discover that the wrong-doer lives next door to you, perhaps it’s time to pick up the phone and let someone know.
Inspector Mickey Bradley, who purchased facecrook.us for $17 after making sure he wasn’t violating any copyright protection laws in regards to Facebook, believes that the site will help them track down wanted criminals. As a result, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office feels the number of outstanding warrants will effectively diminish. Although the site currently features a number of fugitives, the department doesn’t know how many criminals are currently on the loose.
Presently, the one piece of information that the site does not contain are the crimes themselves, though the department has stated that they may decide to add this data at a later date.
With all of this public information at your fingertips, you may feel that a little Charles Bronson-style vigilante justice is in order. That, apparently, is against the terms you agree to upon entering the site. By taking a stroll through this virtual rogues gallery, you agree to not “intimidate or harass” another human being using this data. Additionally, the department includes a “do not apprehend” warning on each profile, indicating that you should leave the rough stuff to the professionals.
“We make it clear on the site that we don’t want anyone to approach these people,” a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office explained.