Cops Use Facebook To Bust Post-Prom Party

(AP)  Police in northern New Jersey infiltrated Facebook to learn that students were planning to bring alcohol and drugs to an after-prom party.

Police created fake identities to enter the social networking site and found what Fair Lawn High School students were going.

Officers stopped the caravan a few miles from the high school and arrested four 17-year-old boys who officers say were carrying marijuana, scales and baggies commonly used to package the drug.

School Superintendent Bruce Watson says the district doesn't check Facebook on a regular basis unless there's a reason. Watson says the district generally leaves Internet patrolling to police.

Police Sgt. Derek Bastinck says teenagers are cavalier about accepting people into their network of friends.

[ray-arvada-]

This was just successful social engineering. It is no different than a 40 year old cop, posing to be a drug dealer to make a bust where those being busted are 17 year old high school students. I think the article says it all. The teens were too cavalier about accepting friends into their social network. "Hmm... let me see. I don't know you, but awwww what the hell, I'll show all my friends how many friends I have. Sure, I'll be your friend". The article is wrong is saying the cops infiltrated facebook. That would mean they accessed facebooks database. Instead it should read they infiltrated social network on facebook.

[luke_4u]

I get a big kick out of it, on almost every subject somebody has to bring politics into it, and maybe even bash Bush & Cheney. Oh yeah, and religion too. What's up with that ? Kids do stupid things, they always have and probably always will. You can't put an old head on young shoulders. It has nothing to do with who the President is or was, kids are often just plain stupid. Hopefully they will grow out of it, although some never do.

[endurorob]

This is rediculous. Don't cops have bigger fish to fry? What's next, monitoring these kids text messages?
Posted by gravyboat45 at 8:59 AM : May 16, 2009


Teens make up only 6% of licensed drivers but account for 20% of alcohol related crashes. I think it a good idea to ratchet up the prevention rather than chastize the cops for trying to do soemthing about it. And if you don't think lives of teenagers and their potential victims are big fish then you have a priorities problem.

[ToolMangler1]

Yea, crime prevention is just stupid. We need to wait until 10 year olds get raped or a car full of stoned and drunk teenagers wrecks and either kills or cripples thos inside before any action is taken.
Posted by endurorob at 4:32 PM : May 15, 2009



Good point, but ancient history. They took morals out of school and dumped the problem in the hands of 'Kids having kids' parents. With the ACLU in control of deciding what is moral and upright the kids are being taught "If it feels good, do it".....

[gravyboat45]

High School kids, with alcohol and drugs, going to a party after prom?

AHHHHHHHHHH!

This is rediculous. Don't cops have bigger fish to fry? What's next, monitoring these kids text messages?

[andie52]

perhaps parents should keep a better eye on their kids and what these teens do and talk about online; aside from that it only means a few less of those teens will becoming home in a body bag.

[endurorob]

I am NOT defending pervert Baptist pedos - I am criticising Republican 'family-Values' liars - - the 'Police' - - who use underhanded, illegal tactics to net "perpetrators" who are talked into perversion by the cops themselves.
Posted by JackSteen12 at 2:56 PM : May 15, 2009

Yea, crime prevention is just stupid. We need to wait until 10 year olds get raped or a car full of stoned and drunk teenagers wrecks and either kills or cripples thos inside before any action is taken.

[Hal9King]

Is this supposed to be a 'surprise'? Why they needed the internet to do this is amazingly -- STUPID. Just follow any car after the prom with more than 2 boys in it.

[whatsup49]

bobnjersey, i'm in favor of new technology that helps keep me and my family safe. if that means cops using the internet to break up a teen-age drinking and drugging party before it happens, so be it. i've lost way to many friends to the horrors of impaired drivers, so i'm gonna support anything that helps stop it from continuing. i worry about what my new neighbors are doing with so many cars coming and going from their house at all hours, and the fact that she has installed motion detection lights, as well as cameras around the outside of her house. and then there's that funny ( and not as in ha ha funny) odor that comes from her house . . . i have nothing to hide. speaking in generalities, sometimes the ones who protest the loudest have the mostest to hide.

[xxmorosxx]

That's the dumbest thing i ever heard in my life. By law police do NOT have to identify themselves as police officers if they are trying to do undercover work. I mean, if they were required BY LAW to identify upon questioning no one would ever be busted for drugs by an undercover officer. People always ask "You a cop?" and they always respond "no" because courts have ruled that police don't have to be honest all the time. In fact, during interviews police can LIE. They can tell a suspect that their co-conspirator has turned states evidence. They can say "We've positively matched your DNA to DNA at the scene" and other things. Entrapment would be falsifying the evidence.

But, that's beside the point... I think it seems kind of less important to bust a high school after prom party than to bust pedophiles. But, if that's this agencies priority, cool. Glad they did it.