

As part of its efforts to recruit tech-savvy users from around the world, the Vancouver Police Department's tech crimes division has set its sights on Second Life. It will be the first police force in the world to establish an official presence in the virtual world. According to a report by the Vancouver Sun, members of the division will be on hand (in the form of buxom female avatars, apparently) to conduct a recruitment seminar in the virtual world on Thursday, May 31st.

Though the VPD's efforts will initially center on recruitment, the tech crimes division's Kevin McQuiggan suggests that the force's presence in the virtual world may eventually broaden in scope:

It's important for us, as an organization, to keep abreast of modern technology – both from an educational standpoint and an outreach standpoint, and from an investigative standpoint.

Is it too early to start posting look-outs on street corners? Maybe. But seeing as how Second Life

users can sometimes find even Linden's own interventions overly restrictive, it will be interesting to see how they react to the presence of an actual police force, regardless of how benign its initial intentions.

VPD: Virtual Police Department [The Vancouver Sun]