The new cyber-face of the Brookfield police department is just a week old, but it has already received visitors from far-away locales.

Detective Pete Gibb redesigned the township police department's Web site and debuted it Sept. 5.

"It's something new, fresh and unique," Gibb said. "We wanted to make it look a little more professional."

He said the site offers visitors the same information as before, but with a more user-friendly format, updated features and eye-catching graphics.

"It's easier to navigate now," he said.

Visitors may read the latest crime prevention tips, find the most recent department statistics or learn about the department's 2001 award from Law and Order magazine.

"It was pretty interesting to receive that recognition," Gibb said of the honor.

Statistics and a brief township history are also on the site.

No major design changes had been performed on the site since 1998, Gibb said, adding the new site took him about five months to complete.

Since its debut, Gibb said the site has averaged around 15 hits a day. In addition to visits from local Web surfers, Gibb said visitors from Texas, Indiana -- even as far away as the United Kingdom and Australia -- have perused the site.

Gibb said popular areas on the site are the live police scanner and the recorded calls.

"The site is very fluid," he said. "It's always changing, taking things off and putting more on."

Gibb said the recorded calls section will be updated once the Trumbull County 911 center is back to full operation.

For some Brookfield natives who have moved away from the area, the detective noted, the site serves as a way to stay informed on the home front.

"Everybody likes to look for a connection from their hometown when they move away," Gibb said. "People enjoy it."

Check out the new site at http://www.brookfieldpd.org, or to leave comments, suggestions or messages, e-mail

brookfieldpd@cboss.com.