The Torrance Police Department is moving into the world of mobile app technology to bring its message to the community and "to stay with the times."
Starting Tuesday, anyone who downloads a free Torrance police app to a smartphone or tablet can watch a five- to seven-minute podcast that will provide information about crime trends, crime prevention, education and current events.
The podcast also will be available the old-fashioned way - on the department's website and on YouTube.
"Quite frankly, it has a cool factor to it," said Torrance police Lt. Mark Athan, the agency's Community Affairs Division commander. "Torrance P.D. is trying to stay with the times."
In addition to the crime information, officers will highlight a different program or section of the department each week, host a segment called, "Did you know?" and answer viewer emails.
People who use the app through their iPads, iPhones and Android devices can interact with the department's Twitter and Facebook sites.
Athan said Torrance is believed to be among the first departments to make a weekly podcast available through mobile
devices to communicate with the public."This is new ground. This is a new way to reach out," Athan said. "Everybody is getting their news today through their mobile devices. We're trying to stay up with that."
Officers have previously done segments on the CitiCable channel, but not everyone in the city received their television through Time Warner Cable.
The app is available everywhere, Athan said. Although the official start-up is not scheduled until Tuesday, programs already available on the app have been viewed in more than 15 countries.
Officers will use basic tools - a Sony video recorder and an iMac - to produce their podcasts and videos.
Police suspect the app might help with recruiting new officers familiar with social media.
The app for the iPhone, iTouch and iPad is available through Apple's App Store. The app for Android is available through Amazon.
The weekly Tuesday podcast also will be available at the bottom of the department's website home page (Police.TorranceCA.gov [3] ), on the department's YouTube Channel (TPDCommAffairs) or via it RSS feed (torrancepolicedepartment.libsyn.com/rss [4] ).
"I think the apps are cool," Athan said. "I think the community will appreciate them. Hopefully, it will pick up a following."
Follow Larry Altman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/larryaltman [5]
[1] [2]Links
- ^ BLOG: SOUTH BAY CRIME, COURT NEWS (www.insidesocal.com)
- ^ FACEBOOK (www.facebook.com)
- ^ Police.TorranceCA.gov ('http)
- ^ torrancepolicedepartment.libsyn.com/rss ('http)
- ^ http://twitter.com/larryaltman ('http)
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