Police encouraged to use social networking

Any means the police can use to communicate with the public will help break down barriers and hopefully alter preconceptions.

That's the view of a chief inspector from the West Midlands police force, who has been on the Island to speak about the success of the organisation's 'Plodcasts'.

CI Mark Paynes set the ball rolling, and they now have a listenership of 20,000.

He says social networking sites are a great way of interacting with people: