The Role Of Social Media In Law Enforcement

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On the contrary, social media is another form of public communication for the connection between crime and real life. For instance, Webster defines the term social media as “forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such as videos)”. Social media is a space where people can express their opinions and share with people from all over the world. It has been proven that about eighty three percent of Law Enforcement personnel use social media to conduct investigations. For example, there are at least four cases in the last five years of where Facebook, MySpace or Twitter showed evidence that has affected cases in the court room. Hoffman v. State …show more content…

Bob Brzenchek from Pierce Connection Blog states that providing the community with valuable content about their city, town, or jurisdiction, law enforcement is able to build on consistent engagement with those they protect and serve. Bob also blogs that keeping social media as a form of community building and outreach strategy, it will keep the police-public relationship more positive. The more positive our law departments keep the social platforms, the more positive outlook the community will have on the system. If people start to see the good in the system there will be a better outcome when it comes to police an the public. “In Aiken, SC, the Country Sheriff’s office and the Department of Public Safety are both active on Facebook and twitter” (Unknown 4). They use social media platforms to help with lead gathering and outreach to crime solving and prevention. Both departments also use Facebook to share and receive info on breaking cases with their followers, who then spread the new to other social media networking cites. That is before it gets misinterpreted. Nevertheless, there aren’t always “good apples” that make life easier, there are many times where police have to fight for their fiduciary trust back because of the media. The main issue currently with the legal system is white cop versus black cop. The police have a public relations and images problem and it is not really their fault. This issue escalates fast hen the media picks up stories and changes them

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