Police use social media to make them appear more approachable (Updated)
image credit: SF Chronicle
Police across the country are being trained to use social media to make them appear more approachable.
The Police Social Media Academy (PSMA), International Association of Chiefs of Police, FBI-LEEDA and Crime Stoppers International teach police officers how to use social media to their benefit.
According to PSMA, police officers are given a three day social media training course to help them influence, sorry I meant interact with their communities.
"Our Police Social Media Seminar is an intensive three-days of training that will help you better engage and interact with your community using Facebook and other social media platforms."
Below are a few examples of how police are being trained to interact with their communities.
Let's breakdown what they mean.
Today's Public Information Officers (PIO) know exactly 'when and what to (say) post.' In other words they follow a script. PIO's are taught to use words like "reasonable force" instead of "necessary force" because it changes their meaning.
Much like news stations, police departments produce their own media releases, Tweets and videos.
How do PIO's deal with criticism?
By publishing their own news releases, no conflict of interest their right?.
The FBI trains PIO's on how to develop their own news feeds and use NIXLE to send out emergency messages.
How do PIO's manage a crisis?
PIO's receive 'crisis management training' of course.
“Life's Eyes Media trainers prepare PIO's to face the difficult and challenging tasks of successfully communicating key messages through a media landscape that thrives on drama, controversy, and negative news. Departments with effective crisis management programs understand that every crisis represents a clear and present danger to their reputation and/or financial well being...”
PIO's are trained to view every public encounter as an opportunity to deliver their department's message.
How do PIO's interact with the news media?
By monitoring interviews and following a script.
PIO's monitor interviews to keep them within their parameters.
(approx. 7:10 )
A 2013 report titled 'Media Access: Public Information Officers' Perception of Media Control' revealed that everything a PIO says is monitored and reviewed.
How do PIO's find the message that resonates with their community?
By using social media to make them appear more approachable.
Updated 4/15:
Police adopt a kitten to influence public opinion
Recently, The Troy Police Department in Michigan put out a Twitter challenge: "If we get 10,000 followers by April, we want a police cat." It reached the goal weeks before April.
The cat will also be used for community outreach purposes. Ultimately, Sgt. Lehman says she hopes the cat will be able to do a lot of community appearances and interact with people.
Sgt. Lehman also says the cat will visit the Troy Police Department to hang out with other officers. "We also will interact on social media posting tweets as the cat."
Police post pictures of missing pets to influence public opinion
At approximately 3:25 of the above video, Don White reveals that the community really enjoys it when police post pictures of lost pets. And let's not forget baby deliveries, police love posting stories of officers helping deliver a baby.
As the video continues, police are taught to post positive feedback from the community and to ADVERTISE community programs. They are also taught to provide 'instant lookouts' like missing children and suspicious people.
PIO's are also warned to be on the lookout for 'conduct unbecoming.' Conduct unbecoming is when an officer brags about how many tickets they wrote or how many arrests they've made on social media. (For more information about how police use social media to make them appear more approachable click here.)
The FBI's LEEDA program shows police how to promote a consistent positive image, so the public will trust them. PIO's have even created their own 'Beyond The Badge' YouTube channel that promotes a 'positive police image'. (Click here to watch a recent video.)
As you can see, police departments like corporations use various methods to influence public opinion.