Will The Police Look At My Facebook?

Hello. My name is Becky. Will you be my friend? 

The Police look at the Facebook’s of people that they have some suspicion about. It is not random. It is when the Police believe that a suspect did something, but feel that they don’t have 100% proof. It is when they think they know who did something, but they are not 100% sure.

Facebook is an investigative tool.

Facebook is a phenomenal investigative tool. Maybe (for a hypothetical) you went to the Vance Creek Bridge (Trespassing) and the Deputies didn’t see you, but they did run your license plate. So you, as the owner of the car, are a suspect. True, anyone could be driving your car. You could have loaned it to any number of people. However, when you go home and upload photos onto your personal Facebook page, you have turned their suspicion into a conclusion.

We could come up with a million hypotheticals where law enforcement has a mere suspicion, and then with the help of you and your Facebook, they have a conclusion. The common and most damaging ingredient is you. But for you and your post, law enforcement would not be able to establish probable cause to take the case forward for arrest or charging.

Be smart with what you post or (gulp) decide to not post at all.

At the Witt Law Group we have dealt with many cases that have a social media component. Facebook and Instagram come up more and more frequently in law enforcement investigations. It is a simple tool that they use now in virtually all unsolved cases. Think before you post.

The Witt Law Group practices Criminal Defense in Pierce and Kitsap Counties.  We have offices in Poulsbo, Bremerton and Gig Harbor Washington. Ironically, we also have a Facebook page.