Thursday, May 14, 2009
Police web site to list wanted suspects
The Roanoke Police Department has begun using its Web site to post a list of people wanted on outstanding warrants.
"It's just a way to get the information out to the public," department spokeswoman Aisha Johnson said Wednesday.
In years past, police have twice taken out a two-page advertisement in The Roanoke Times listing the names of the wanted.
More recently, some names appeared weekly in Crime Tracker, a free WSLS (Channel 10) tabloid that is no longer published.
Johnson said that the publicity helped police locate suspects or prompted the suspects to turn themselves in.
The new list, which will be updated every 24 hours, contains the names, genders and ages of about 2,400 adults who are wanted on felony and misdemeanor charges or summonses, Johnson said. The list does not specify the charges each person faces.
The department has also posted pictures of Roanoke's 10 most wanted people.
The are wanted on charges ranging from malicious wounding to breaking the terms of bail, probation or parole.
People who see their names on the list are asked to go to the police department and turn themselves in.
Anyone with information about a wanted person is asked to call police at 853-1505. Anyone who knows the current location of someone on the list is asked to call 911.
Online: www.roanokegov.com/police
"It's just a way to get the information out to the public," department spokeswoman Aisha Johnson said Wednesday.
In years past, police have twice taken out a two-page advertisement in The Roanoke Times listing the names of the wanted.
More recently, some names appeared weekly in Crime Tracker, a free WSLS (Channel 10) tabloid that is no longer published.
Johnson said that the publicity helped police locate suspects or prompted the suspects to turn themselves in.
The new list, which will be updated every 24 hours, contains the names, genders and ages of about 2,400 adults who are wanted on felony and misdemeanor charges or summonses, Johnson said. The list does not specify the charges each person faces.
The department has also posted pictures of Roanoke's 10 most wanted people.
The are wanted on charges ranging from malicious wounding to breaking the terms of bail, probation or parole.
People who see their names on the list are asked to go to the police department and turn themselves in.
Anyone with information about a wanted person is asked to call police at 853-1505. Anyone who knows the current location of someone on the list is asked to call 911.
Online: www.roanokegov.com/police
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