Union County using social media to locate the missing

In Union County, authorities have started sharing information and profiles about missing people on social media to keep their stories in the public consciousness and help bring closure and resolution to the victims' families.

The county has about 60 missing persons cases and the county prosecutor's office intends to focus on a different case on a weekly basis.

Union County Acting Prosecutor Lyndsay Ruotolo said the project is another initiative "geared towards improving police and community engagement and relationships."

She said her office has been in contact with the detective bureaus from the police departments in Union County's 21 municipalities.

They will feature a profile of one missing persons each week on the prosecutor's social media pages on Twitter and LinkedIn.

"Law enforcement is really trying to catch up with the times on social media," she said. "That seems to be used to meet the people where they're at. And that seems to be sort of the new wave of communication. We're trying to get up to speed with the times."

Joe Cutter is the senior news anchor on New Jersey 101.5