The morning after Prom, junior Alex Rice rushed to check to “Washington County Sheriff’s Office” app on his iPhone, wondering if he would see one of his schoolmates’ mugshot under the Detention Center section.
“I check it to see if anyone I know has been put behind bars,” said Rice. “I also hope they have a crazy arrest like public indecency because I get a good laugh out of it.”
The WCSO app is a free iPhone application that allows the user to browse the mugshots and charges of recently arrested adults from the Northwest Arknasas area.
“I always see really funny looking people on there, and they are usually drunk and that makes it even better,” said junior Dan Hartigan.
This app has created a new hobby among students and teachers. They constantly check the app for any funny crimes, goofy mugshots, or familiar faces. Most students prefer to search for current or former classmates who have been arrested.
When a familiar face makes it on to the app, Twitter feeds and the halls fill with posts and talk about the recently arrested student. Some students who view the app may not think about the humiliation and embarrassment that their fellow classmates may feel after being arrested and having their mugshot posted online.
“I think this app is bittersweet,” said sophomore Jacob Benson. “It’s always funny to see people you know do dumb things. But at the same time, I feel bad for them.”