Top Stories of 2015 — No. 9: Missing Elgin Township Man Is Found, ‘Expected to Survive’
- Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series counting down the top 10 most-read Kane County Connects stories of 2015.
No. 9: Missing Elgin Township Man Is Found, ‘Expected to Survive’
On Kane County Connects, we talk a lot — and with good reason — about the dangers of a digital world. From cyber predators to sexting to identity theft, there are 1,001 evils that must be confronted and foiled in this brave new world.
But this July 2015 story is a good example of how the Internet, social media and electronic media can be used for good, as well. The Kane County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page provides a great service and has become an effective tool to help fight crime, gather and share information on a timely basis and help citizens become involved.
In the old days (not so many years ago), when a person went missing, the Sheriff’s Office might or might not have issued a press release. The press release might or might not have been picked up right away and run in the local newspapers. And the word might or might not have gotten out to newspaper subscribers within a couple days of the missing-person report.
In the case of the No. 9 most-read article of 2015 — Missing Elgin Township Man Is Found, ‘Expected to Survive’ — the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page was able to post a photo, ask for the public’s help and post regular updates as more information became available. Thousands of people saw the post and shared that post, eventually helping to locate the missing man and return the Elgin Township man safely to his family.
On Kane County Connects, the article was updated along with the Sheriff’s Office posts and press releases and tallied 4,294 page views.
“Again, thank you to everyone who took the time to share the post and spread the word,” Kane County Lt. Pat Gengler said via Facebook. “It is reassuring to know that when we need to get the word out about a situation there are so many people willing to help.”
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Top Stories of 2015 Countdown
