June 2010

social media and law enforcement

Bill Bratton Delivers At 2010 Wired Business Conference

by Mike Vallez on June 22, 2010 · View Comments

in Social Media Five-O

I had the opportunity to attend the WIRED Business Conference, Disruptive by Design, on Monday 06/14/10 as a guest of Altegrity Risk International (ARI) Chairman Bill Bratton. He was one of the featured speakers at this conference. WIRED magazine is one of the most respected technological magazines of all time, and is touted as the first truly on-line international publication. Naturally, they are a good fit to oversee a conference focusing on the disruption of current and trending technologies.

Bill Bratton did a live interview during the conference… live in the fact that it was posted and sent out to all of WIRED’s subscriber and partner networks. As one of the nation’s most renowned law enforcement leaders, due to his success in both NYC and LA where he served as police commissioner and chief of police respectively, Bill Bratton was a natural choice for a conference of this kind. The main reason? A great deal of his success was due to crime busting system he pioneered called CompStat. CompStat is an analytical solution that provides real-time intelligence to law enforcement personnel in the field, and in the patrol car, so they can attack hot spots of criminal activity. As Chief Bratton explained how he used “push-pins” and “transparent charts” in CompStat’s early days a hush fell over the tech savvy crowd. Bratton then detailed how in the early 90’s he began to use a top-of-the-line computer for the day, which he purchased from Radio Shack. It was a Commodore 640. This drew applause from the audience and marked Bill as “one of those pioneers of the good old days.”

The method of attacking little crimes in neighborhoods is one of the CompStat systems key components and a big reason for the success of this law enforcement, crime busting ideals. During the interview with Chief Bratton, WIRED contributing editor Noah Shachtman, who also works at the Brookings Institution, kept prodding Bill with questions about the authenticity of the data surrounding CompStat. Shachtman directly asked the Chief how he could be certain the data was not being manipulated. Bratton, hesitated for just a second then replied that they “killed anyone who manipulated the data.” The auditorium erupted in applause and laughter, an outburst from the audience that had not been seen or heard at the conference.

Bill Bratton did an excellent job of demonstrating how “old school” police work with an analytical and accountable system better known as CompStat has effectively reduced crime. One of the best compliments Chief Bratton received was from WIRED Senior Editor Jason Tanz, who sat next to me during Bratton’s interview. Tanz at one point mentioned to me “this guy is great.”

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What is Privacy? 5 Common Sense Tips While Social Networking….

by Mike Vallez on June 4, 2010 · View Comments

in Social Media,Social Media Five-O

social media five-o

What exactly is considered private when it comes to social media and social networking? Since becoming involved in social media about a year and a half ago I have been a little astonished at what people share about themselves. MySpace has been the social networking website where both men and woman pushed the limits on how much skin is showed in uploaded pic’s. Seems like Facebook has surpassed MySpace with lack of clothing pic’s due to the shear number of users 465,564,340 (via http://www.checkfacebook.com/) and the numerous men and women in their undies, bikinis, or less.

I am not a prude and am not against girl’s in bikinis (not into guys in underwear), but there seems to be a lack of modesty and forethought when it comes to information (pics, videos, crazy status updates) being placed on social networking sites. Once information is placed on the web, you should assume it will live on the web forever, yes forever. People can save any images or text with a simple right click of a mouse and don’t assume because your privacy settings are set on Facebook or other social networking sites that any of your risque information won’t show up on the web (so called friends can share your information).

Another security/privacy issue to be considered while participating in social media/social networking is GPS location services. Foursquare, Twitter, Facebook, and most other social networking sites allow you to provide your GPS location. As a retired police officer I do not think this is the best of ideas for personal security reasons. There are websites like pleaserobme.com that are placing your GPS locations on their website once caught off the web from status updates along with the fact that you are not home encouraging criminal activity or at your residence i.e: burglary because you are most likely not at home.

Below are 5 common sense tips on how to prevent from unwanted privacy intrusions:

1) Don’t share naked pictures of yourself unless you are ready for the consequences – Hmm, what will my parents or kids think?
2) Don’t put anything into a status update you don’t want recirculated on the web – My boss John Doe is a #$%^.
3) Ladies turn off your GPS notifications from all social networking sites so you are not advertising that you are alone at a bar at 2am – There are creepers on the web you know.
4) Don’t always trust a picture of an individual on a social networking site because they are attractive – Things are not always as they appear.
5) Don’t list your cell phone number on Twitter, Facebook, or any other social networking website if you don’t want your privacy invaded – Ladies really, weirdos will call you.

As social media continues to change our culture our definition of privacy seems to also be changing. What was private 5 years ago is now a profile picture on Facebook or a status update on Twitter that potentially millions of people can see. I am not throwing rocks from my glass house as I have violated my own common sense rules a time or two, but consider your privacy current or future when participating in social media and social networking sites. Mike Vallez

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The Kentucky State Police Are Finding Success Using Social Media

by Mike Vallez on June 2, 2010 · View Comments

in Social Media & Law Enforcement,Social Media Five-O

social media and law enforcement

I love to read a news article on the web that highlights a law enforcement agency that is using social media and being successful at it. Some may say social media success for law enforcement has to be measured by arrests, crimes prevented or some numerical value. However, successful use of social media for law enforcement is more of a “loss leader.” If an agency broadens their audience, informs their constituents, and yes ultimately prevents crime then they should consider social media a valuable communication tool. One such agency that is rocking social media is the Kentucky State Police.

The Kentucky State Police are using social media and have found success in doing so. Unlike most law enforcement agencies someone at the Kentucky State Police found value in communicating through social media. They have a successful Facebook fan page which has just about 17,000 people who like it (including me). They post everything from crime prevention tips, wanted people pic’s, criminal activity information, and more to their Facebook Fan Page. The Kentucky State Police also use Twitter to push out their message. A quick check of their website shows that the Kentucky State police prominently display their Facebook fan page feed and Twitter link for web users to follow them on those social networking sites.

While law enforcement is still finding out how to implement social media some agencies such as the Kentucky State Police have realized the value in communicating through social networking websites. Hopefully, over the next year law enforcement will realize the low cost big messaging benefit that is possible by using social media. Mike Vallez

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How Law Enforcement Can Better Control Their Message Using Social Media!

by Mike Vallez on June 1, 2010 · View Comments

in Social Media & Law Enforcement,Social Media Five-O

social media and law enforcement

Law enforcement has basically been at the mercy of the news media. Whether issuing press releases, responding to a high profile case, or requesting help from citizens in a missing person case the police were (are) at the behest of the media to communicate there message.

Social media offers alternative options for law enforcement agencies to take control of their communication and messaging. Facebook fan pages, Twitter, blogs, iPhone apps, podcasting, YouTube, are just a few social media channels that allow law enforcement to call the shots on their messaging. There is a shift in control when law enforcement can offensively deploy a press release to Twitter or Facebook for the general public, which includes the press agencies. Press conferences can be pre-determined through simple video podcasting efforts with editing prior to release and posting to agencies websites, blogs, or YouTube for release to the world wide web. Best of all these communications options are very inexpensive.

The premise is law enforcement no longer has to rely on the media for press coverage. They can take control of their messaging and reach a larger audience. One law enforcement agency that has taken the leap by issuing press release through social media sites only is the Boca Raton Police Department. The media responded to the Boca Raton PD by running a mostly negative news spot, but they have now become use to obtaining press releases through Facebook and Twitter.

Social media offers law enforcement alternatives on getting their message out, which will allow them to control investigations better, keep better public relations, and so on. Mike Vallez

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