The Vancouver police department has become the first real-life police force to have officers in the virtual world of Second Life, reports The Vancouver Sun.

　　The officers' virtual avatars have a specially designed uniform--what looks like a blue figure-hugging catsuit (for the ladies, at least), complete with badge, belt, and radio. The Vancouver Police Department has been using the popular virtual world to try to attract "tech-savvy" recruits to join its ranks.

　　The idea came from Gerry Sinclair, program director for digital media at the Great Northern Way Campus. As part of her drive to attract students to the new course--due to launch this September--she held a virtual recruitment seminar within Second Life. When the Vancouver police heard about it, head of the tech crimes division Kevin McQuiggin asked for Sinclair's help to set up a similar event to boost a recruitment drive for the boys and girls in blue.

　　"It's to get recruits," McQuiggin said. "I just need smart, tech-savvy people. ... As we move into the future, we're going to need people who understand technology--that are conversant with it, that understand the impact of it and understand how to use it."

　　McQuiggin added that he believes that as they continue to grow, virtual worlds would require some form of virtual policing, although the new frontier of crime fighting brings with it a whole new set of problems. He said, "There are jurisdictional issues. Where does the crime occur? Where is the suspect? Where is the victim? We want accountability but if it's spread all over the world like that it makes it very difficult for us."