Social Media and Law Enforcement

Danielle UnzickerMarketing and Communications

The

Conv

ersa

tion

Pris

m (B

rian

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Where are we?

• Accounts that we are managing• facebook.com/siuedwardsville• twitter.com/siue (@SIUE)• linkedin.com

– SIUE Group– SIUE Company Page

• foursquare.com/siue• youtube.com/siueweb

Institutional Goals

• Increase brand awareness• Monitor the conversation• Support recruitment and

retention• Foster relationships with

constituents to increase brand loyalty

• Distribute information

How PD’s Are Getting Social

• Conducting criminal investigations• Communicating with the public– Pushing information– Sourcing information

• Community Policing– Foster connections with citizens/groups– Show the human side of policing

Source: Best Practice in Police Social Media, the COMPOSITE Project

It’s a Game Changer

• Social media is changing the way we handle crisis situations– Ex. Boston Police Dept.

It’s a Game Changer

• Social media is being used to support criminal investigations and solicit tips from the public– Ex. Bardstown Police Dept. (KY)

It’s a Game Changer

• Social media is being used to connect with the public on an emotional level– Ex. Plymouth Police Department (MA)

The most important part is listening!

Institutional Goals

• Increase brand awareness• Monitor the conversation• Support recruitment and

retention• Foster relationships with

constituents to increase brand loyalty

• Distribute information

Along the way, we find some interesting things…

Along the way, we find some interesting things…

Everything is Sharable

Teachable Moments

When We Will Call You

• Threats of violence against SIUE

• Drug-related activity

If seeing it in person would cause us to call you…we’ll call.

Personal Use

Best Practices for Personal Use

• The lines are becoming blurry– Public vs. private– Professional vs. personal

• Get to know your privacy settings, but…

Source: Public Safety Assistance Foundation

Best Practices for Personal Use

• Never put information relating to an investigation on the internet

Source: Public Safety Assistance Foundation

Best Practices for Personal Use

• Tow the party line online– Don’t speak negatively about the institution

Source: Public Safety Assistance Foundation

Best Practices for Personal Use

• Don’t use your SIUE email address– FOIA– Don’t mix personal vs. professional when you can

avoid it

Source: Public Safety Assistance Foundation

Math Blahut forced to resign after complaints about the content on his personal Facebook account

Matthew Winckler was fired over disparaging content that he posted about his experiences at the academy and fellow officers

Best Practices for Personal Use

• You are subject to a higher level of scrutiny– Watch who you connect with– Watch what content you curate

Source: Public Safety Assistance Foundation

Best Practices for Personal Use

• Avoid using location services– Facebook check-ins– Foursquare– Geo-tagging

Source: Public Safety Assistance Foundation

How to Listen

How to Listen

How to Listen

Hashtags & Lingo@Username: mention another userDM: direct messageRT: retweet+1: I agreeHashtag (#): the # symbol makes the following word searchableOH: overheard#yolo: you only live once(Tweet) >>>>: it’s awesome(Tweet) <<<<: it sucks

• For more information, tools and tips…

iacpsocialmedia.org/