TogetherWeServed Launches Secure Network for U.S. Police Officers

CHATSWORTH, Calif., Oct. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, TogetherWeServed.com – creator of the largest online military heritage community – announced the launch of its next chapter in connecting and honoring U.S. public servants: a secure, feature-rich website for the U.S. state and municipal police community called Police.TogetherWeServed.com (PTWS).

Administered by retired police officers for police officers, PTWS is a secure space for currently serving and veteran officers to connect with their service brothers and sisters, share in the camaraderie of fellow officers, network for professional and social purposes, and create a permanent legacy of their service for their family and future generations. The site is 100% exclusive to U.S. officers – only those who have served as a sworn police or federal officer, county sheriff, or state trooper are eligible for PTWS membership. Corrections officers will have their own TWS website in the near future.

"When we first launched TWS in 2003, we had no idea how strongly it would be embraced by the military community," said Brian Foster, founder and president of TogetherWeServed.com. "As many members went on to serve in law enforcement after their military service, we wanted to honor and connect officers in the same secure way through PTWS."

Among the site's biggest endorsers is Martin Renkiewicz, former Director of INTERPOL, the world's largest international police organization, and now Director of Recruiting and Staffing for Justice Services International (JSI).

"PTWS is one of the most valuable resources I've found for officers to securely share a vast amount of experience acquired over many years and mentor their law enforcement counterparts in their fight against crime and terrorism," said Renkiewicz. "Cooperation and information sharing is at the core of what we do; PTWS is built to do exactly that, and that is why I am a strong supporter!"

As with TogetherWeServed.com, PTWS members can create a detailed "Shadow Box" page with a permanent record of their service, including memories of people and events and photographs spanning an entire career. High-resolution images of badges and patches are displayed exactly as worn on uniform, with badge images conforming exactly to specification and supplied by Smith & Warren, the leading manufacturer of United States police insignia since 1925.

In addition to creating a service history, officers can find and connect with former colleagues. Members who post the agencies, departments, and timeframe in which they served will be presented with an instant listing of other PTWS members whom they may know. Members can communicate with each other via instant messaging and discussion boards spanning every interest and professional specialty. PTWS boards, including a soon-to-be-announced Police Knowledge Center, are a space for officers across the country to share information, advice, and connect in a police-only environment, not available on Facebook and other social networking websites. With more than 43,000 departments and 20,000 police patches already represented on the site, PTWS is the most comprehensive U.S. law enforcement online database available.

Joe Lisi – a retired NYPD police captain, Marine, and New York-based actor who has appeared on "The Sopranos," "Law and Order," and "Nurse Jackie" – was one of the site's first active members. "PTWS is an excellent resource for cops, active and retired alike," said Lisi. "You can expand your contacts within the law enforcement community; keep abreast of current trends and technologies; and reinforce bonds that exist between officers across the U.S."

"PTWS is a great way to express personal and emotional issues, all while knowing your involvement is completely secure," said Detective Natalie Ogonowski of Hillside, NJ, another one of the site's several hundred founding members. "As a female in a male-dominated field, I love that I can interact with other female officers in a forum just for women."

Current or former officers who would like to join PTWS can request an invitation at Police.TogetherWeServed.com or contact Denise Kincaid at [email protected] or (888) 398-3262.

ABOUT TOGETHERWESERVED.COM

As the largest exclusively military network of its type, TogetherWeServed.com enables veterans and active duty personnel to reconnect with their service brothers and sisters, share in the camaraderie of other members, and create a permanent record of their service so it may never be forgotten. Administered by retired U.S. military personnel, TogetherWeServed.com is a highly secure networking site; member information is never shared for commercial purposes. TogetherWeServed.com has 1.3 million members from all five branches of the military and aims to capture 5 million additional veteran profiles within the next five years.

SOURCE TogetherWeServed.com