Officers sign up Facebook users

Users can submit intelligence using the application

More than 25,300 people have signed up to a Facebook application for updates on crime in Greater Manchester.

The application, launched by the force in 2008, allows users to submit intelligence about crimes and get a news feed of incidents.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the device provided vital intelligence to help bring criminals to justice.

GMP is one of a number of UK forces to use the social networking website, which has 300 million users worldwide.

Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said: "We're keen to keep residents in Greater Manchester updated on what's happening in their local area and Facebook is a great way to reach out to people on a more informal, personal basis.

"It's really encouraging that so many people are keeping themselves updated through our Facebook application and demonstrates how GMP has managed to use this new technology as another tool to communicate with the public to help fight and detect crime.

"We hope that the figures of people accepting this application will keep going up so we raise further awareness of incidents taking place within our local communities, in a bid to gain more intelligence and reduce crime in Greater Manchester."

As well as Facebook, the force also has a presence on websites such as Twitter, YouTube, MySpace and Bebo.