The Arlington County police department has launched its own Web page on the popular social networking site MySpace.

Police are hoping that children who use MySpace will add the department to their lists of "top friends" to discourage sexual predators from contacting them.

Residents also can leave anonymous tips or send police suspicious communications they have received.

Police spokesman John Lisle says a few police departments across the country are on MySpace but that Arlington is the first jurisdiction to try it in the Washington area.

George Washington University criminal justice students working as interns for the police department put the page together and will monitor and update it.