When Wiscasset Police Chief Troy Cline took his job about five years ago, getting the department into the social media mix was one of the things he put on his to-do list.

People rely so heavily on Facebook and Twitter for information now, social media can be the best way to reach out to the public, Cline said.

But budgets and other work took priority and, by late last fall, he still hadn’t gotten to it. So when School Resource Officer Thomas Hoepner suggested a Facebook page, Cline took him up on it. Hoepner created the page, then turned the page administrator’s duties over to Cline.

The page went live in November 2015. As of Jan. 14, it had 285 page likes. Visitors have been liking and sharing Cline’s posts on winter driving conditions, Sgt. Kathy Williams’ retirement, the department’s cruisers, designating a driver before drinking, and other topics. A Jan. 13 one reports on an officer’s near miss with a passing vehicle while she was out of her cruiser on a traffic stop; the same post cites a law against improper passing of an emergency vehicle with its lights on.

Legal reminders like that are another use for the page; so are posts that show appreciation for those who serve in public safety. 

A Dec. 24 post thanks public safety personnel for working Christmas Eve. It reads in part: “Let us remember those ... that can’t be with their families as they are protecting ours.”

“People need to know we’re people, too, and have families, and that we have a life beyond law enforcement,” Cline said.

He plans to post staff photos and short biographies, starting with full-time officers.

Some agencies prefer not to post officers’ photos due to safety concerns. “But I’m of the belief, if someone’s going to target you, they are going to target you,” with or without a Facebook photo, Cline said.

The page has had a steady stream of supportive comments. But they haven’t all been, Cline observed. “(Having a page) can be a double-edged sword,” he said.

He closely monitors all his posts and deletes a comment if it is derogatory toward an officer or the department.

“The police don’t make everybody happy,” he said. “Sometimes people don’t like arrest situations or getting a ticket. It’s very easy to sit behind a keyboard ... and lash out, when there’s no consequence for doing so ... This is meant to be an informational resource, not a place to vent your anger.”

It may also become a place to help the department with an investigation: Cline said he may at times post photos of unidentified shoplifters or other offenders, in hopes someone will recognize them.

“It’s an outstanding resource for law enforcement to utilize,” Cline said about Facebook.

The department’s page is called Wiscasset Maine Police Department.