In the past 18 months I’ve been so eager to “prove” what social media can do for law enforcement that I’ve pushed agencies and their commanders to be more transparent, more engaged with the public, more a part of the online world. I still believe they should be. But I’m also coming to embrace temperance….
Tag Archive: Law Enforcement
What budget cuts mean to online public safety
In April, the Wall Street Journal highlighted law enforcement budget cuts and what they meant for public safety: Since January, Tulsa has laid off 89 police officers, 11% of its force. That has pushed the city to the forefront of a national movement, spurred by hard times, to revamp long-held policing strategies. In the crosshairs:…
In a crisis, communicate short-term for long-term goodwill
An iPhone prototype lost, found, and then sold. A police raid on the home of the blogger who broke the story. In a public relations crisis that is largely eclipsed by the much bigger issues of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and Wall Street fraud, the Silicon Valley-based Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team (REACT)…
Why I’m bored with social media
I’ve had something on my mind for awhile: the shiny object has lost its luster, and I’m getting bored. A year ago Amber Naslund was blogging about this: stop talking about how great it is, she wrote (I’m paraphrasing), and get to work figuring out how to use these tools. Lately I’ve read Tamar Weinberg…
How to keep trolls off your social sites
I’ve blogged before about comment policies and the fine line between constructive criticism and bashing/flaming. How freedom of speech isn’t just about allowing everyone to have their say, but also moderating comments to make sure that trolls’ speech doesn’t drown out other voices. But I was thinking that it’s important to understand trolls for who…
Guarding against stupid cop tricks
Every police administrator knows what damage the wrong YouTube video, tweet, or Facebook status update can do. The public seems drawn to “stupid cop tricks,” and it’s never long before the media find out. Once that happens, it’s all over. The media grill administrators for answers. Because an internal investigation is probably ongoing, there are…