Harris County Uses New Web Site To Recruit
By Daniella Guzman
POSTED: Monday, June 23, 2008
UPDATED: 7:01 pm CDT June 23,
2008
HOUSTON -- The new
Harris County Sheriff's Office Web site is fast and action-packed, similar to a Hollywood movie, but some have problems with it, KPRC Local 2 reported Monday.
The site is filled with hi-tech, 3D, high-definition films targeted to the young generation.
"We are trying to attract people who are are into video games, hi-tech and electronics," said Capt. John Martin with the Harris Country Sheriff's Office.
It has a Mission Impossible theme, filled with music and modern graphics. The Sheriff's Office is promoting positions in all their departments, a very similar strategy to the Army and the Navy's Web sites.
But some say it will not work.
Councilman Adrian Garcia is running for county sheriff.
He said the quote on the Web site from Ernest Hemingway does not appear to be recruiting public servants. It reads, "There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter."
"It looks like a commercial for Dog the Bounty Hunter. It's not professional. We need to send out a professional message," said Garcia.
The sheriff's office paid $59,000 for the Web site, with money they said was taken from seized funds.
"Some people might think that's a lot of money, but a lot of agencies are giving signing bonuses and with six people they give a bonus to, we've already paid off our Web site," said Martin.
The Web design company, ATGNAT.COM, said the site is already starting to pay off for the department.
"They have had enormous number of hits. The other advantage is the people looking at the Web site stay there for at least seven minutes," a company spokesman said. The Web site has been since June 1. Officials said they have already had 30,000 hits.
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