The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office announces the launch of the official agency Facebook page, www.facebook.com/SarasotaCountySheriff.

“Facebook gives us yet another avenue to engage citizens and provide timely information in addition to the tools that we have used for the past few years,” said Sheriff Tom Knight. “Our goals for the page include providing information about emergencies, crime prevention, upcoming community events, job announcements and requests for assistance identifying crime suspects who are caught on camera.”

The Facebook page will also provide Sarasota County residents with a new way to interact with sheriff’s office personnel and learn about the programs and services it provides. Facebook users should click on the “About” section of the page which explains that all communication is public record.

Sarasota County Animal Services established a Facebook page earlier this year which can be found at www.facebook.com/SarasotaAnimalServices.

Since 2010, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has offered citizens the opportunity to sign up on its web site to receive monthly emails, press releases and agency updates. The sheriff’s office also has a blog, a YouTube channel with behind the scenes videos, and a Flickr page with agency event photos. All previously existing email and social media tools will remain to serve citizens through their preferred communication method.