Communication is critical in everything we do — especially when it goes two ways. In law enforcement, this may be even more vital than just about any other aspect of life.

It is encouraging to see that the Clark County Sheriff’s Office has taken this concept to heart and launched two additional Facebook pages to better connect itself with the community.

The first is dedicated to criminal investigations. It will allow detectives to connect directly with the public when seeking information that could be critical to solving a crime. It will also allow citizens to anonymously share tips and other information such as when they see suspicious or criminal activity.

In just two days since launching the sites, the department had already gotten several leads that Sheriff Berl Perdue said were helpful in ongoing investigations.

The second page is dedicated to the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. It will be utilized to communicate to parents and the public news of upcoming events and photos of past events in Clark County schools.

Like any tool, social media is only as good as the individuals using it.

We encourage everyone involved to utilize this the right way.

We are living in volatile times across the country when it comes to the perception of and relationship with law enforcement. Thankfully Clark County residents understand that these are our friends and neighbors working hard to do a critical job.

The most important things we can do right now is strengthen the bond between local law enforcement and our community. These men and women risk their lives every day to keep us safe.

Increasing the channels for direct, two-way communication is another positive step in the right direction