Local police participate in tweet-a-thon

BOSTON (WHDH) -- Law enforcement across the world turned to Twitter on Friday. They held a tweet-a-thon to get the word out.

Newburyport police were just one of the many local -- and worldwide -- agencies that participated in this learning experience. The 24-hour tweet-a-thon gives officers from around the world a chance to reach out just by using the same hashtag -- #poltwt.

They can find out how other departments are using social media to their advantage and vice versa.

Newburyport police said Twitter has been a key tool in connecting with the community.

“What we’ve seen so far is all positive feedback. They like to get real-time updates. They like the traffic advisories, the information on snow bans. It’s just allowed us an outlet to really connect with the community on a different level,” said Inspector Matthew Simons of the Newburyport police department.  

Newburyport police are new to Twitter. They just joined last month with a lot of success. The site has helped them collect tips as part of their investigations.