On Wednesday morning, Daniel Calderon was at the Costa Rica Art Museum in La Sabana. Earlier this week, he was at the Central Park in Heredia and later at the Eladio Rosabal Cordero Stadium. In the meantime, he posted a flurry of updates to his Twitter account:

• In the Guarari Sector, 4 known robbers were captured in Zone 2; two of them in fraganti and the other two with outstanding warrants
• Tactical support officers in Heredia recover stolen motorcycle, detain two suspects
• Third arrest of the day in Guarari – aggravated robbery; suspect’s alias is “Frank”

Daniel Calderon is the Regional Director of Fuerza Publica in Heredia, and his whereabouts, information about police work, and even details about his personal life (he’s a big fan of Spain’s First Division Football League) are constantly updated to social media via Twitter and location-based social network FourSquare.

For the last few months, Fuerza Publica has been stepping up their outreach, transparency and public relations efforts using social media. Of all law enforcement agencies in Costa Rica, Fuerza Publica is the most visible, and to that extent they have been working on reaching out to the Ticos they are sworn to protect and serve. Facebook is the primary social media outlet for Fuerza Publica, but Twitter has recently become the medium of choice for Regional Directors to stay in touch with the public.

Daniel Calderon is the latest Regional Director to open his Twitter account to followers. With a mobile device, Director Calderon lets the public know exactly where he is at all times via FourSquare.

Another Regional Director who has put his Twitter account to good use is Nils Ching Vargas of Cartago. Director Ching Vargas, who is also an attorney, keeps his Twitter account constantly updated with reports, expert opinion and safety tips. He even lets followers know when and where Fuerza Publica is engaged in highway operations, so that motorists can choose an alternate route if they do not wish to be delayed.  Here is a sampling of his recent Tweets:

• San Juan North – stolen vehicle located after carjacking
• Roadblocks in Tres Rios, Guarco, Oreamuno – Fuerza Publica and Transit Police detain a man with an illegal firearm and another with an outstanding warrant.
• Say no to violence, particularly domestic violence.
• Do not chat up strangers at the bank.

Transparency in law enforcement is essential in the prevention of police brutality and corruption. The Rodney King affair and the Los Angeles riots of 1992 have taught us that certain democratic principles should apply to police work. Fuerza Publica’s leverage of social media for public relations and transparency purposes is welcome.