The rise of social media has created significant change for the average American. U.S. citizens aren’t the only ones who have started using things like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to share details about life. Interestingly police, fire and other departments in the government have been posting an increasing number of details about crime fighting to the public.
In fact, the Federal Bureau of Investigation recently published an article about the use of social media for law enforcement and how criteria should be created to standardize how police departments use details about their crime fighting efforts. The concern from the government was that improper use of information could lead to safety problems for officers, as well as problems down the line when cases were set for trial.
Social Media as a Crime Fighting Tool
One of the primary uses of social media for law enforcement today is as an investigative tool that helps officers and investigators solve crimes. Social media titan, Facebook, is often a goldmine for law enforcement when they need details about a suspect. Consider that posts made can help the police establish a timeline for a person’s whereabouts and connect him or her to a crime, or absolve that individual of any wrongdoing.
Pushback from legal rights advocates has resulted in some protest of the use of social media in investigations because of the possibility of an invasion of privacy; however, law enforcement has been successful in using social media for their purposes. Additionally, news and media outlets have also followed in law enforcement’s footsteps by using social media to investigate current events.
Soliciting the Public’s Help
In addition to serving as an investigative option for law enforcement, social media represents a swift method for communicating with the public about important matters. The “24/7” nature of social media has meant that sharing information with people has become faster when social networks have been used, rather than traditional methods like newspapers and media conferences.
One of the ways that police departments have worked to share details about social media with the public is through the posting of images and videos to Facebook feeds. For example, some departments have started posting surveillance videos of suspects in action so as to solicit the public’s help in getting the identity of the perpetrators.
Law Enforcement Coming Around
Interestingly, not all law enforcement officers have embraced social media as quickly as others. A recent article published by Mashable shared the story of the chief of staff at the police department in Oakland, California. The chief wasn’t convinced that social media was the way to go, but after an event where a pair of officers in the department used Twitter to notify the public of a gunman on a school campus, everyone at the department started to see the value in using social media.
Today’s law enforcement professionals have a strong tool at their hands when they choose to use social media as a way to solve crimes and keep the public safe. However, police departments must be careful in how they choose to use this technology so as to keep the public and members of the department as safe as possible during investigations and emergencies.
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