SOUTHWICK – The Southwick Police Department is becoming even more accessible with the launch of its new website and Facebook page.
Police Chief David Ricardi said updating the website was one of his goals when he became chief last spring.
“The previous site was dry and mundane,” he told the Board of Selectmen last night. “I wanted something user friendly – something fresh and crisp.”
Ricardi said he wanted to offer useful information to page viewers.
“I wanted good information such as a good police log, weather alerts and other useful information,” Ricardi said.
The site, www.southwickpolice.com, is hyperlinked to the town website and includes buttons for the log, announcements, services, and mission.
The site lists the mission: “The Southwick Police Department
provides proactive and professional police service, in partnership with the community, which enhances the quality of life in The Town of Southwick.
“We are committed to the prevention of crime and the protection of property; the preservation of peace, order, and safety; the enforcement of laws and ordinances; and the safeguarding of constitutional guarantees.
“We recognize our interdependent relationship with the community we serve and will remain sensitive to the community’s priorities and needs. To fulfill our mission, we will emphasize the need for each officer to advance positive relations with our citizens through prompt, courteous, and professional service.”
Ricardi said the department is hoping to better communicate with the community at large with the site.
“And we’re now on Facebook, which gives us another way to communicate with the public,” he said.
Ricardi said during past extreme weather events, residents were not able to get information through the police web site. He plans to use the new improved site and Facebook page to alert residents of emergencies, including weather and traffic related events. Right now, the site offers an alert to the storm expected ti hit the area tonight.
The site was designed by Chris Parker of Phantom Enterprises in conjunction with police officer Thomas Krutka.
“They put a lot of hours in and we had a lot of meetings and I’m happy with how it turned out,” said Ricardi.
