The first question of social media

One of the common questions that comes up when I am doing social media training for law enforcement is, “What do we say?”

I can teach the tools. I can teach the functionality of the tools. I can teach how to recognize and minimize risk.  I can show the most economical way to monitor and listen.  I can certainly give my opinions. But I can’t possible answer that question…at least not now.

Give me five minutes with your web site and I can formulate a strategy that you should you put in place for your organization.

But, before I can tell you what to say, we need to look at what is the more meaningful question.  What you will say is going to be unique to you.  How you say it will be something you will decide on.  When you say something will be determined by many factors. Who you will say something to, has many influences.

WHY are you going to do social media

WHY you should say what you will end up saying, how you will say it, when you decide to say it and to who you will say it to it the paramount determination that needs to be discussed first.  Without the WHY being determined, the rest will be without true focus.

The reason WHY you will use social media is not because that’s where the people are.  It is not because it is all the hype right now.  It is not because everyone else is doing it.  It is most certainly not because it will solve the worlds problems and be the silver bullet answer to policing challenges.

The reason WHY you will do social media is because you will make your community a partner in providing an increased sense of safety, security and service.  You will allow them a voice in the quest to make their town safer.  You will provide a podium for the individual to have the same voice as the group.

The reason WHY you will do social media is because the problem solving skills contained within the community are far superior to anything we can come up with on our own.  There are eyes and ears in the community that we have to rely on to be more effective as a police agency.

We can provide information to the community that is of high value to the well-being of the community.  We can receive information that is of value to us.  The police are the public and the public is the police.

That is WHYyou will do social media.  Once you know why you should do social media…the What, Where, When, Who and How are the easy part.

So now you have it…Just do it!

Sorry? The what, where, when, who and how?

OK, next post.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know. Would love to hear your thoughts.