NYPD ups social media game, tries to put #myNYPD campaign disaster behind them

The NYPD has been ramping up its Twitter and Facebook presence.

Zachary Tumin, deputy commissioner for strategic initiatives, said the NYPD has amassed scores of new followers -- about 80% more on Twitter and about 40% more on Facebook -- since launching its effort.

"These are all properties that we maintain because they give us the opportunity to share with you what we're doing and the opportunity to hear back from you issues and concerns that you may have so that we can incorporate them into our plans," he said. "This is a must-have."

NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton was the first member of the department to open his own Twitter account, Tumin said.

And many department chiefs and precinct commands have joined since.

The goal is to have every command on Twitter by the end of the year, Tumin added.

The department also has YouTube and Instagram accounts.

The hashtag #MyNYPD" campaign backfired spectacularly in April and launched a barrage of photos depicting alleged brutality.