mmg.com.au

A Facebook site helped police arrest suspects after a stabbing in Finley in January.

The Deniliquin Local Area Command now has a Facebook group as part of the‘Eyewatch’ initiative - an electronic version of the Neighbourhood Watch.

NSW Project Manager Chief Inspector Josh Maxwell said the Finley stabbing was one of the initiative’s ‘‘most notable successes to date’’.

Two days after a Finley woman was allegedly stabbed in the neck in January, officers loaded the profiles of two suspects onto a Victorian Facebook page.

Within two hours they were identified by Facebook members on their iPhones at a motel in Swan Hill and the arrests were made.

‘‘That’s the power of getting information out quickly. From a crime-detection perspective, in terms of persons of interest, vehicles of interest, we’ve had significant success,’’ Chief Insp Maxwell said.

Local stations come under the Deniliquin Local Area Command page, which is administered by Deniliquin Police Chief Inspector Michael Tranby.

The Facebook group is for the entire Deniliquin Police Local Area Command (LAC), and is designed to engage with the community.

Insp Tranby said police operations and safety warnings would be distributed via the Facebook group, but said it was also a way for police to seek help.

‘‘We’ll use the group to seek assistance on crimes and it can be used in the search of missing people,’’ he said.

‘‘We also invite people to talk about emerging issues, which can be done in private sessions.’’

You can stay up-to-date on crime trends and issues in the region by clicking ‘like’ on the Deniliquin LAC Facebook group.

Crimes must not be reported on the website. To report a crime contact 000 or Deniliquin Police Station on 5881 2244.

The Deniliquin LAC Facebook group can be found by searching Deniliquin LAC in the page search section on your Facebook profile.

The Deniliquin LAC covers the local government areas of Jerilderie, Berrigan, Conargo, Hay, Murray, Balranald, Wakool and Deniliquin.