WMPD uses social media to nab suspects in record time

Police Chief Campbell credits officers for arrests, praises community collaboration

By DON WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

The West Memphis Police Department (WMPD) is leveraging the power of social media to fight crime – and it’s paying off in spectacular fashion. In a pair of cleverly worded Facebook posts last week, the department sought the public’s help in apprehending four suspects. Within hours, all four were in custody.

The first post humorously dubbed Jonathan Stringfellow, 24, and Kamia Chase, 24, the “Stringfellow-Chase crime duo – the pair that just won’t stop.” Both suspects were wanted on multiple charges, including breaking or entering and residential burglary. Stringfellow was also facing charges for sexual assault. The department’s efforts to apprehend the pair were swift and successful.

Police Chief Robbin Campbell revealed the extensive efforts that led to their arrests. “Two of the suspects were arrested as a result of help from the community,” said Chief Campbell. “The community is tired of being victimized by people like Jonathan Stringfellow, who is a suspect in 30-plus residential burglaries. He was apprehended with his girlfriend Kamia Chase. We designated Stringfellow as Public Enemy #1 and made him our top priority this past Wednesday. As you see, it didn’t take long for our Violent Crimes Suppression Unit to locate him and his girlfriend.”

Chief Campbell credited the success to collaboration and determination. “We had been following him for the past several days as he went back and forth between West Memphis and Memphis. We worked with the Organized Crime Unit of the Memphis Police Department to track his movements while he was in Memphis. Thank you to the officers who worked very hard and long hours to ensure that they caught them. They deserve all of the credit.”

The second post targeted Brice Goodloe, 20, and Deavius Goodloe, 19, who were wanted on serious charges, including Criminal Attempt Murder 1st, Battery 1st, and seven counts

See WMPD, page A3

D. GOODLOE

STRINGFELLOW

B. GOODLOE

CHASE WMPD

From page A1

of Aggravated Assault. The department’s message made it clear that they were being closely watched: “You may have thought you could slip through the cracks, but we know exactly who you are.”

The message seemed to strike a chord. Both suspects turned themselves in within minutes of the post going live. The swift arrests underscore a growing partnership between the police and the public, as well as the dedication of law enforcement officers to making West Memphis safer.

“This success demonstrates how powerful community collaboration can be,” said Chief Campbell. “The residents of West Memphis are sending a clear message: they won’t tolerate crime in their neighborhoods.”