The VPD hopes that with the help of QR code technology, police will be able to find and arrest a serial sex attacker who is believed to be responsible for certain assaults since 2009.  All of this criminal’s female victims were under 30 and were in the Granville Entertainment District before the attacks.

The police will be putting up posters containing QR codes at bar and restaurant washrooms, a first for the VPD.  The police are saying that this might not be the only time QR codes would be used in the investigations, especially if it is proven to be effective.  At the very least, they are looking to use QR codes to disseminate information.

VPD’s Matt Clarke explains that they are doing this because the target demographic, or those who are most likely to know the suspects, may be best reached through new media, not conventional media.  Clarke adds that they are looking for leads from 19- to 35-year-olds who either live or frequent the entertainment district in downtown Vancouver.

Unconventional?  It might not be so if you know that the same police department has a significant presence on the social microblogging site,Twitter.  The VPD Twitter account, which they use to issue updates,  now have 16,000 followers.  The VPD also put up a website for this particular case, complete with video and pictures.

Yet again, we find another use for the QR code.  It is no longer just for businesses trying to market more effectively or for educational purposes, it helps the community as well.