The Fuzz re-Tweets, without 'cop talk' as usual

BY JASON NARK, Daily News Staff Writer
Posted: April 05, 2012

THE FUZZ IS BACK on the beat, patrolling the streets and blasting out tweets to his devoted fans with an official seal of approval from the Philadelphia Police Department.

Detective Joseph Murray, of Southwest Detectives, had more than 600 followers on his @TheFuzz9143 Twitter handle, but had been silent for nearly three months while police administration configured its social-media policy. About 4 p.m. Wednesday, Murray was back on Twitter with a new, official handle, @ppdjoemurray, and his followers rejoiced.

"HE'S BACK!!!," West Philly resident Amara Rockar said in an email to the Daily News.

Rockar had helped start an online petition to get Murray back on Twitter and worried that the department could handcuff his humor and personality with a strict social-media policy.

There's no need to worry, Murray said.

"I try to talk to people like normal, not cop talk," Murray said. "I don't take myself too seriously. I don't use the word perpetrator."

Murray said police administration encouraged him to be himself, and he's even going to be instrumental in training 10 to 15 other officers on Twitter over the next month.

"They like what I do and they want to see more of it," he said.

Karima Zedan, a spokeswoman for Commissioner Charles Ramsey, said Murray received many tips and emails from citizens because they felt they could trust him, even if they had never met him.

"It really makes Detective Murray approachable to the community," Zedan said. "It keeps the community informed and it keeps him informed."

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