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
Twitter
FriendFeed
LinkedIn
Technorati
Facebook
YouTube
{ 7 trackbacks }