Edina's Police Chief, Looking for 'Younger Demographic,' Joins Twitter

Edina’s tech savvy police chief, Jeff Long, has added a new tool to his communication arsenal: Twitter.

Long, who has maintained a popular blog on the city’s website for more than a year, started using the microblogging platform last week, and has shared information and advice about pet safety, theft prevention, traffic backups, car accidents and construction closures.

“I wanted a way to communicate more quickly with residents, and I wanted a way to be more modern,” he said. “It’s just a quick way to get it out, and it’s also going to get a younger demographic.”

In a blog post about his new foray into social media, Long wrote that he plans on using his account for “breaking news, education, discussions and events that have relevance to the Edina Police Department.”

Long has had a personal Twitter account for several years, and he said it will be useful for communicating time-sensitive information.

“I don’t want people to have to log on to Facebook or wait for my blog or to get it in the mail,” he said.