There’s a new website in town

“Nerph” probably won’t like the Sheriff’s Department’s new website, but law abiding county residents probably will.

The convicted spray-paint vandal, a.k.a. Jose Miranda, gets prominent play as one of “L.A.’s Most Wanted Taggers,” a new element of the department’s retooled site, which was launched this week. Click here to see it.

The new look combines big photos with crime-blotter press releases, crime statistics and consumer-driven services to better link county residents with the department.

“Our mission is to give the public what it wants in the way the public wants it,” says Capt. Mike Parker, the site’s project leader.

The web makeover was ordered last year by Sheriff Lee Baca. “He said let’s design this in a way that’s engaging and visual,” says Parker.

Parker says that other law enforcement sites provided no model for the design or content. So he and his team opted for a look more akin to news media websites, both to entice the public and organize information. Most of the news stories in the Headlines and Top Stories section are departmental press releases that link to numerous TV and newspaper stories. A Google widget provides quick translation into over 50 languages.

The new site also aims to provide the public with a better understanding of the department’s activities and tell stories that the traditional media may ignore. Says Parker: “We get to tell our story now.”

Posted 5/13/10