Mark Sweney
Guardian Unlimited, Wednesday January 2 2008 The FBI is to use a nationwide network of digital billboards to flash "hot pursuit" alerts and "most wanted" bulletins to help catch criminals.
In a deal with Clear Channel Outdoor, the US law enforcement agency will use billboards to run messages about wanted criminals, crime in progress and "high security" alerts about homeland security.
The agreement, which follows a successful trial in Philadelphia that led to the swift arrest of three criminals, will primarily be used to run "most wanted messages" on more than 150 digital billboards in about 20 US cities.
Billboards will also be used to display "high security messages to relevant communities" and the FBI also plans to establish a "protocol" for high priority "hot pursuit" messages to run straight after crimes are committed.
"The success of our 'wanted' messages on Clear Channel's digital billboards in Philadelphia was an impressive testament to this new technology's effectiveness in aiding law enforcement," said Brett Hovington, community relations unit chief at the FBI.
He added that a key benefit of the billboards is that they allow a "degree of separation between the tipster and the authorities", helping the FBI to protect the sources of anonymous tip-offs.
Clear Channel has previously used its billboards for public safety purposes such as informing commuters in Minneapolis that there had been a bridge collapse within 15 minutes of the event occurring.
"Our partnership with the FBI to use our digital networks to assist in the apprehension of fugitives and provide other critical security messages is a logical extension of this invaluable community service," said Paul Meyer, president and chief operating officer at Clear Channel.
"As more digital networks are deployed across the country they will soon be an indispensable tool for reaching the travelling public in all national as well as local emergencies and, most importantly, for homeland security initiatives."
In October, UK government intelligence organisation GCHQ moved to run its first ad campaign in online games, including Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent, to tempt web-savvy graduates to become spies .
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