Although many law enforcement agencies in the United States have gradually begun to use social media—such as posting news releases on Facebook and Twitter—the Alhambra Police Department in Southern California is the first American law enforcement agency to establish an account on Weibo.
Currently, the police department's Weibo account is publishing news related to local crime and community matters in Chinese. It has attracted a variety of followers, including Chinese residents living in Alhambra, their relatives in China, and some onlookers. These onlookers are purely curious about how an American police department would use Chinese social media.
The announcement on the Weibo states: "The purpose of opening this Weibo account is to better serve the Chinese residents in this area, as well as students, business people, and tourists from China, to eliminate misunderstandings and enhance communication with Chinese residents. We hope to help new immigrants integrate into the community as soon as possible and understand local regulations, and we also hope to increase trust in the Alhambra Police Department."
It states: "We are an international and diverse city, and we hope to maintain an open and close relationship with our community. We look forward to serving you on Weibo and in city life."
According to local media reports, Alhambra Police Chief Mark Yokoyama stated at a press conference on the 9th: "I feel that we have not sufficiently engaged with Chinese immigrants. If we can increase this engagement through Weibo and enhance communication and mutual trust, I believe it will have an impact on public safety." The Weibo account of the Alhambra Police Department made its debut at this press conference.
The Alhambra Police Department's Weibo account has over 5,000 followers, a number that greatly exceeds the number of followers on the department's Facebook account.
