Two news articles caught my attention today because they both point directly to the heart of the police being held to a higher standard.
The first is a video which details a police department’s search for a suspect wanted in relation to a crime that had occurred. That in itself is good police work. The problem was the person turned out not to be a suspect at all but a possible witness at best. The video is from April of this year and the page that sent out the information doesn’t even exist on FB anymore.
Takeaway: Social media has made it much easier and more efficient to reach out to the public and ask for their help in identifying people. The problem that it has created though, is the Internet is forever.
Think what the ramifications could be for this woman. Sure the police can delete the information, they can issue a follow-up, but a search on her could show a cached or shared copy of the post and a perspective employer (or current one) could see it.
Tip: Think about how you classify someone. Instead of calling your potential target a suspect of a crime, consider simply asking your public to help identify the person as a potential witness that you need to speak with. In a case like this it can go a long way in maintaining good relationships with your community.
The second, I will admit, made me laugh.
A cartoon was posted by a police account in the UK. The first reason I laughed was that it was cute joke that I have seen several times on different social channels. It plays on the stereotype of distractions and how couples see each other. Again…it is a joke!
The second reason I laughed is because this was posted by a police department in the UK that clearly has nothing to do with the UK since the driver is on the wrong side of the car.
Outrage after ‘sexist cartoon’ mocking women drivers is tweeted by police force.
Photo: The Mirror UK
Takeaway: The problem is, as the news article points out is no matter how you look at it, this joke is offensive. It is a subject that is offensive. Maybe not to everyone, but to many and the police can’t take the risk of being funny at the expense of others in this manner.
Is there a place for humour in a police agencies social media? Absolutely, but it is a fine line that must be walked and respected if you are going to go down that path.
Tip: If you are going to use humour, be considerate of everyone’s feelings. If you can’t look at a joke and know you won’t offend with it then leave it alone.
Police are held to a higher standard for good reason. Part of that higher standard ensures that there is always a leader and a voice of reason to be respected and looked up to. A voice of trusted authority.
If you try to hard to be just like everyone else, you might actually get there.
Well said.
I do think that police need to be politically correct on social media, and in public. As a teacher, we needed to laugh to release stress, but, again, in the privacy of a staff room, not in public.
Thanks for the comment Jenn and you put it perfectly….there is a time and place for everything.
I disagree with allowing the public to report crimes. We’re not trained for this. This act would put the innocent into the police database for no reason. The untrained suspicions of the public would be attached to the innocent and follow them forever. That would taint or predispose police bias towards unconfirmed conditions.
There’s a saying,”Those who twirl their mustaches, are easy to spot, those who clothe themselves in good deeds, are well camouflaged.”
The reference to “Serve and Protect”, in the previous page is a bunch of BULL! How about painting that on the fenders of patrol cars, like in the US.
There’s a mockery of justice in this country. It starts with our police forces and ends in our court system where more innocent people go to jail because of the incompetence of police.
I know. I’ve seen first hand, being an innocent accused of a crime I didn’t commit and the OPP were to incompetent and bias to see that.
The police can’t be trusted. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” “The code of Silence” runs rampant in police forces.
Always watch the cops. Always question them. They cannot be trusted.
OK…then. Thanks