“I Declare this an Unlawful Assembly” Did they get my Tweet?

Photo: © 2011 Chris Ryan

Law enforcement agencies across the US and around the world are discovering that police social media has become part of their world. Sometimes it’s a tool that improves communications and other times it's a moment in time that wasn't their finest.

Imagine the surprise of people protesting teacher layoffs, austerity measures or a G 20 summit when they receive a Tweet telling them to clear the area or declaring an unlawful assembly.

A school resource officer in Mesquite, Texas, was unwittingly thrust into the social media spotlight recently. The video showing his use of pepper spray on a wily squirrel was seen millions of times on YouTube and Facebook.

Dunwoody Police Department near Atlanta, Georgia decided to Tweet crime calls over a 24 hour period in an effort to educate the public about what officers face on a daily basis. The jury is still out as to whether citizens became bored with the family bickering, burglar alarms or other calls that officers usually handle. It's likely they returned to their 10 hours of "real police" on CSI or Law and Order.

It's important for law enforcement agencies to understand how the social networking phenomenon will impact their officers and the communities they serve. They should consider police social media and police media relations training for their leaders, supervisors, officers, and public information officers (PIO).