Police Use YouTube to Help Solve Murder

YouTube provides a vast and diverse library of pop culture videos, while offering a stage for those individuals who wish to perform before an international audience. And, there is little doubt that YouTube.com is one of the most frequently visited websites in North America. YouTube has always functioned as an entertainment outlet...until now.

In Hamilton Ontario, police have capitalized on the popular media service as a modern way to fight crime. Officials hope to target a young demographic who use YouTube as a way to stay connected with current events.

Officers are specifically looking for any "people of interest" who attended a recent hip-hop concert the night a 22-year-old man was killed. The uploaded video clip shows images of the suspect believed to be responsible for the murder. (Source: theglobeandmail.com)

With the rise in popularity of such social networking services like MySpace and Facebook, coupled with the increase in publicly accessible blogs, getting access to an individual's identity has never been easier.

Officials are hoping to use this information as a way to protect those who leave themselves vulnerable for an identity attack, while bringing to justice those who blatantly flaunt their general disrespect for the law. (Source: nytimes.com)

Two teens who posted a video clip of an illegal street race were recently visited by police officers who were looking for the uploading culprits. The teens are currently facing dangerous driving charges and are expected to appear before a judge in the coming months.

Across North America, police are slowly starting to move in the direction of Internet use as a way to combat crime. In Hamilton specifically, homicide investigators are taking courses at the Canadian Police College that teach about using the Internet as an investigative resource. (Source: theglobeandmail.com)

While the video clip posted by the Hamilton police officer has not yet led to any arrests, it has generated a considerable amount of attention from local media networks and has sparked a great deal of discussion between concert attendees.

The police video clip has been viewed over 2,000 times since the concert.