With smart phones and tablets more ubiquitous than ever, the public's desire for information now has skyrocketed, too often leaving municipal officials in the cyber dust. So, it is refreshing that Waterford officials, most notably those in the police department and public schools, have embraced technology. They use it to serve the public's interest and to support and promote learning without overloading residents or subjecting them to drivel.

Look at the Waterford Police Department's Facebook page and Twitter account as examples. Its daily posts range from listings of arrests and requests for the public's help in identifying crime suspects to updates on road closures and photos of lost pets. Residents who post questions get answers, if not instantaneously, then in very short order. If a downed power line or tree closes a road, it's posted immediately.

The department even accepts that electronic communication has an uncomfortable side. If residents post criticisms, well, that's just part of the digital landscape. Residents clearly are happy with the communication: the department's Facebook page has more than 5,400 followers, while more than 3,600 follow the police on Twitter.

Even more valuable than the combination of light and serious Facebook posts and Tweets, is the Waterford crime map. Interactive and searchable, the map created about four years ago allows residents to see exactly where and when all types of police activity occur in town. The map identifies the location of registered sex offenders, for example. It also pinpoints a variety of traffic stops, alarms and other activity.

For parents and others seeking public school information, Waterford's superintendent, principals and Board of Education members also deserve praise for their purposeful use of technology. It's now common for principals and teachers to Tweet reading lists or post homework tips on Facebook. After listening to some parents' frustration about getting too little information in some cases and information overload in others (picture being in a room with a group of parents during a snowstorm when numerous cell phones simultaneously ring, give off text alerts and email alerts about school closings), Superintendent Jerome R. Belair said the district was delighted to unveil a Waterford Public Schools mobile app.

Belair said it is customizable to individual family's needs. Families with students at more than one school and who participate in several activities, for example, can easily sync multiple school, sports and activity calendars with schedules of personal and professional obligations.

With technology so fully integrated into the everyday lives of so many of us, it's essential that municipal leaders find ways to use it to more efficiently and effectively to serve their residents. Waterford's initiatives should serve as a role model for other towns.