The Internet has changed the way we do police work in so many ways. Most cops know that eBay is one of the best ways to locate stolen property, and until recently Craig’s List was every vice unit’s go-to site for prostitution, but when it comes to online social networking, most of us are chastised and warned about what not to do on our personal sites. However, I recently learned from Technical Trooper Robyn Goss some of the many ways social networking can be used to investigate and uncover criminal activity.
“A picture is worth a thousand words,” says Trooper Goss, a 12-year veteran with the Kansas Highway Patrol. “People will lock down comments but forget about pictures,” Robyn told me. “Look in the background, read the captions.”
She once located a known drug suspect’s social networking profile and in his photos he had “happy 420” along with his bong and what appeared to be an illegal substance. She also used image searching to help investigate an inmate who was bragging that he had smuggled his cell phone into jail and was allegedly taking photos. She didn’t find any of those pictures, but instead found photos of his marijuana inventory as well as his business partner’s name.
Like Forrest Gump says, “You never know what you’re gonna get.”
Another great investigative tool in Flickr. People often feel a (false) sense of anonymity on the Internet, so they’ll post photos on sites like Flickr of virtually anything and everything. Trooper Goss stresses the importance of regularly visiting these sites.
“Think along the lines of homeland security — look for photos of government buildings, nuclear plants, even your own police station!”
People will also post photos of cops engaging in “routine” activities, such as traffic stops, guarding buildings, conducting searches to provide intelligence for other criminals. You may see yourself, your vehicle, or your own home posted by people you’ve arrested. Years ago I made the front page of an anarchist organization’s website thanks to a surreptitious photographer who took issue with the “party pack” of OC spray I had strapped to the leg of my BDU’s during a crowd control situation.
I still have that picture.
Domestic Terrorists, Radical Islamists, and Street Gangs
Don’t just use YouTube for funny videos and dashcam shootout footage; search this popular site for criminal activity. People post almost everything on YouTube. Look for street gang activity as well as domestic terrorists such as the Sovereign Citizens, the Animal Liberation Front, and of course, radical Islamists. Very often videos will lead you to other sites where you can gather additional intelligence and perhaps even interrupt or intercept extremists in your own area.
Street gangs are especially fond of social networking according to Trooper Goss. They conduct much of their business using the Internet. With a Twitter account and a smart phone, they can contact more people faster and more efficiently; this could have huge implications for officers and agents who rely heavily on informants. One “tweet” about your new CI, and your case could be over before it even begins. Gangs tend to communicate in code on the Internet, so it may take awhile to decipher their language.
“Do not get discouraged” Robyn cautions. “Sometimes you’ll be lucky in finding the information you’re looking for, and other times it will be a struggle.”
Regardless of the crime you’re investigating, check out your suspect and their friends for information online. You can literally map out a “family/friend” tree using social networking and see who has contact with your suspect... they may even lead you to additional information or leads. Keep in mind that others may inadvertently indentify their friends as crime suspects.
Trooper Goss was sitting in a restaurant when she heard the girl next to her berating a friend via cell phone about a MySpace post identifying her as the driver of hit and run DUI accident. The agency working the case had information of a possible driver. They were able to identify the drunk driver through her MySpace page and collect additional evidence.
Apply the ‘Plus-One’ Rule
When you find a suspect’s social networking site, apply Street Survival’s ‘plus-one’ rule. If you find one MySpace page, start looking for another; if you find their Facebook page, keep looking for a Twitter account. Criminals often have multiple accounts. Trooper Goss checks a suspect’s frequency and timing of posts; if they haven’t posted for a while, they may have a new account. Search for them using school or work affiliations; people may use nicknames or change their names online, but will often keep their network affiliations accurate.
If you’re hiring new personnel, social networking sites can be used during background investigations with excellent results, Robyn states. A large urban-area police department was able to stop two gangbangers from infiltrating the force by discovering their affiliations via their social networking sites. If you’re working a stalking case, check sites like Spokeo, LinkedIn and PeopleFinders to see what information is online that could lead the suspect to your victim or their family or place of business. Experiment with Google Alerts to develop crime trends.
Trooper Goss recommends that law enforcement officers become educated about what and how information obtained from social networking sites can be used in court. Check with your prosecutor’s office and seek out training like the kind Robyn has developed. Using the Internet for investigative purposes is no longer the work of select specialists; any savvy cop with a computer, a little bit of knowledge and a whole lot of patience can open up a whole new world of criminal investigation.
Happy surfing, and stay safe!
Special thanks to Technical Trooper Robyn Goss and the Kansas Highway Patrol. Technical Trooper Robyn Goss joined the Kansas Highway Patrol in September of 1999. After graduating from the Kansas Highway Patrol’s Training Academy she assumed road duties in Saline County. In December of 2005 Trooper Goss was promoted to Technical Trooper and assigned to the Kansas Highway Patrol’s Training Academy. She has researched and currently instructs The Impact of Social Networking Sites for Law Enforcement and Safe Social Networking for police officers and civilians and can be reached at rgoss@khp.ks.gov.
