An opinion piece posted at Cops 2.0 speculates on the recent media storm covering the Gates case and Sgt. James Crowley, asking if there might be something that law enforcement might learn about being more media savvy before stepping in front of reporters.
Clearly the current system of letting CIOs or command staff be the primary and virtually only media contacts works well, preventing beat officers from talking to the media too soon. However, there are instances when regular officers can and must talk with reporters.
The article suggests that officers might benefit from following the social media surrounding an event before talking to reporters. The reason being that following social media gives one an overview of the entire situation that is less filtered or canned than traditional media sources: “It’s not about getting people to explain their problems, or obey your instructions. It’s finding out what’s going on. Not unlike getting incident data via CAD, in some ways.” And being aware of the situation helps officers better navigate interviews and other PR interactions.
Source: http://cops2point0.com/2009/08/04/media-training-via-social-media/
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hmmm. That’s a little bit of a different take on what I was getting at — I was trying to say that as a communication mode unlike what patrol officers are used to, social media could help bridge certain gaps between police and public.
With regard to an event specifically… sure, same holds true. But I’d argue that the relationship has to be there first. In London during the G20, the Met was ill-equipped to deal with “flashmobbing,” hordes of people that organized rapidly and on the fly via Twitter. Could the Met have dealt with the situation better if those people knew them in advance — not as faceless bobbies but by name and personality?
Can’t say. Maybe not, or maybe the effects of flashmobbing would only have been mitigated. But I think it’s an example of how police-media relations are just one piece in a larger scheme.
In any case — thanks for the different perspective, and for the mention!
Thanks for the clarification on your post. I agree that law enforcement needs to use and participate in more social media, for both the reasons you point out and for the reasons I point out above.
That’s a great example (G20) you cite in your comment, and perhaps an example of why law enforcement should be more involved in web 2.0 technology. Certainly, we’ve seen at CrimeReports that when police use these new communication tools, citizens are more open to talking and participating in crime prevention and reporting. It breeds a trust in law enforcement, on the part of the community, that did not exist before.
Thanks again for your insights.