#CopChat, November 14th, A double meaning to “citizen police”?

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Tim Burrows

Wednesday, November 14th, 2012

Over the weekend Christa happened to notice, affixed to the back windshields of several official police vehicles in her home state of South Carolina, “Don’t Tread on Me” stickers. In the US this symbol, the Gadsden flag, has historical significance: it was used during the American Revolution as a standard for the nascent navy, established to intercept British warships. Moreover, it originated with a member of the Continental Congress, Col. Christopher Gadsden, who hailed from South Carolina.

The Gadsden flag has always represented American patriotism, but most recently has been co-opted as the flag for the conservative Tea Party. Which brought to mind the number of police officers online who are hardly shy about posting their political views, both conservative and liberal. And so we’re led to wonder:

Police: As public servants, should you care about how citizens view your political persuasions? Is a political view any different from a religious belief (or lack thereof) or sexual orientation? And can it, or does it, affect how you police people?

Civilians: Does knowing how your police vote affect whether you trust them for help when you need them? Or does it make you worry about jackbooted thuggery, whatever your own persuasion?

Join #copchat on Wednesday, November 14 at 9 p.m. Eastern as we discuss the answers to these questions and more!

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Posted on November 9, 2012 by Tim Burrows

Excellent post by Dr. Jez Phillips via Police-Led Intelligence.

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#CopChat Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Tim Burrows

It’s on!

I’ve received a lot of questions regarding the attempted hijacking of the Twitter chat, #CopChat which happens every Wednesday night at 9pm eastern, 6pm Pacific.  To sum up the questions:

  • Should the hashtag change?
  • Should we move nights?
  • Does it bother me?

The answers:

  1. NO – The hashtag will remain. Changing it would serve no purpose since the Anonymous people would simply find it and it would start all over again.
  2. NO – Same as above
  3. YES – But probably not for the reason you’d think.  It does make it harder to follow the chat and there are some really good questions and conversations that are getting over shadowed.

The reason it really bothers me is that I will make the assumption that the folks who are, and support Anonymous complain, whine, point out problems and RT each other like lemmings, is because they are unhappy with the system and the perceived lack of justice or the real injustices that occur in the police and societal systems.

What do they do? Spam, hijack, yell and accuse.  So much so that they end up being ignored.  Think about that… they have an audience of online police and members of the public that are working towards positive change and instead of joining the conversation, they ostracize themselves within the group.  They could be part of the solution and the change, but instead they are just a nuisance at best.

They have an audience that will listen and may possibly help lead the charge for change and they have successfully ended up being ignored.  Kind of ironic.  The end result, no one listens to them, no one supports them (except themselves) and in the end, the get no attention and worse, no hope for changing the system they want to see changed.  WAY TO GO!!

Will #copchat stop? Nope

Will #copchat change? Nope (except get bigger, better and more relevant)

Will Anon change their tactics to change the system? Only they can answer that, but from what I have seen and the evidence to support it shows, no. They will just continue to be ignored and make themselves irrelevant.

So call this a challenge to Anon… try a new tactic to become relevant and work with the people you want to change.  All the cops I know want to see the bad ones gone, the good ones praised and the great ones be the best role models possible.

Similar posts: http://walkingthesocialmediabeat.com’/2012/09/13/you-know-youve-scared-people-when/

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Please like me, follow me, subscribe to me…STOP IT!!

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Tim Burrows

WHY?

On a pretty much daily basis the requests for people to follow, like, subscribe, etc show up in multiple feeds across social media platforms.

I don’t have a problem with these when you give me a reason to do it.  In fact, I believe when done right it is an excellent way to increase your audience and voice in social media. I do have a huge problem with it when you don’t give me any value or reason why I should be doing it.  That’s the difference.  Value driven request vs numbers driven plea.

When I see those requests I generally take a look at the persons presence on the web. I look at other platforms they are using, who and what they associate to and most importantly, what information they are sharing, talking about and providing.  Let’s face it… our time is valuable so we do need to know what we are getting since there is a strong likelihood that by taking in their information, you could be missing information from others.

The information you post is the greatest determining factor to whether or not your presence will grow and more importantly, whether others will share your information.  It is of a far greater importance that your information is seen by people beyond your immediate span of influence and reaches those who you don’t even know.

How do you reach your unknown audience?

The answer is simple in planning but not so easy in application.  Provide great content.  I can guarantee you that when you provide great content, the odds increase dramatically that your information will be seen by others, shared by others and engaged by others without your concerted effort.  When you provide that great content and ad into it the request for likes, shares, subscribers and all the other ways to get followed, then you have hit the ball out of the park.

Don’t just ask, give a reason and justify why your potential audience should share their time with you.

I’ll value your time!

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Posted on October 17, 2012 by Tim Burrows

More great informtion from the Canadian Red Cross.

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I hate most automation! This one, well…

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Tim Burrows

It’s really no secret that I am not a fan of automation.  I don’t hide my feelings on this one at all.  Auto DM’s, auto replies, one button/multiple platform posting…when it comes to social media I’m of the belief that it has to be real-time, authentic and, well…social.

I do have exceptions, naturally. A scheduled tweet that won’t necessarily evoke a response, auto reply on email and re-push services on things like news feeds or press releases.

Automate a Twitter feed in its entirety? NO WAY!

So naturally, when I was at the IACP Annual General Conference last week and I heard my friend Sgt. Sean Whitcomb talk about 51 automated police accounts for the Seattle PD I just about had a cow!  Seattle PD even has a name for this atrocity .. Tweets-By-Beat.  What?? Not one or two automated accounts, but 51!

“Make the lambs stop screaming”

“Oh the unicorns are losing their horns and the fairies are losing their wings in record numbers because of this one!” I thought to myself.

Why oh why would you use a social media communication platform like Twitter and ignore your community and not be social by automating EVERYTHING about it?? I sat silently hoping that Sean was going to say he was just kidding, but I went online and looked for myself and there they were.  Perfectly automated Twitter feeds. OH THE HORROR!

After the session (which was awesome by the way), I rushed Sean and asked why?  Truthfully, I actually knew why because he explained it really well from the stage, but I still had to know more about it.

After talking with him about it, I still felt the same about automation, but I now include this form with acceptable uses for it.  Here’s why:

  1. The accounts represent each of the patrol areas for the department.
  2. They automate the calls for service that officers are responding to.
  3. There is a 1 hour delay built-in (nice officer safety feature).
  4. Local residents can subscribe to their community feed.

There is no expectation of two-way communication and when people subscribe to the feeds, they know that.  Here is an example that Sean gave which made me re-consider my stance on it.

“When a resident sees a police car parked on their street, they can go to the feed and find out why the officer was there.”

In my opinion… that is great! It eliminated the “middle-man” in the situation   We’ve all received the concerned citizen call asking the same question and Seattle PD found a way to reduce that and inform their citizens at the same time! (Genius)

Here is what makes this system work for Seattle and why it may not work everywhere. (Hint: It all is dependant on their main Twitter account)

@SeattlePD gets the social aspect of social media.  Their main account is vibrant with 2 way communication.  They aren’t just spewing their information all over their citizens.  They have a relationship with them and that’s why this can work in Seattle.

I have seen some police accounts who’s main feed is automated and that’s just grosse in itself… add more spewing accounts and it would be a cause for nausea medication.

HT (That’s a hat tip in twitter-eese) to the Seattle PD for this monstrous undertaking on the backend and the huge potential payoff at the front end.

Here is a NY Times article about the program.

Seattle PD on Twitter, Facebook and also, check out the Seattle PD blog (I love this)

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Canadian Red Cross, Social Media and You

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Tim Burrows

On Tuesday, October 9th, 2012, the Canadian Red Cross released a survey that they conducted with Ipsos Reid to gauge how we feel about social media and they work that is done by them, social media and being prepared.

The results, while not earth shattering to anyone who has been keeping tabs on disaster response, emergency management and education / awareness, have some very interesting results.

There is no doubt that in an emergency, people will turn to social media to talk about, learn about and share their experiences when disaster or emergencies strike.  That is the new normal when it comes to information, due in part to the immediacy and availability of information in real-time and the research supports this:

“A majority (54%) of Canadians would use social media channels  such as Facebook or Twitter to let their friends and family know that they are safe in the event of an emergency”

Here is one of the scary issues that emergency responders are going to have to take very seriously:

“One-third (35%) of Canadians think that emergency services such as fire or police would respond to a request for help over social media.”

I honestly believe that 100% of emergency services would respond to a call for help over social media…IF they know about it.  Herein lies a real issue.  While social media occurs 24/7, emergency services don’t monitor the channels in this way at the present time. Emergencies and disasters can strike anywhere at any time and the dependence of a message reaching the right people at the right time diminish dramatically based on time, resources, operational requirements and staffing.

Now… here is the most concerning issue:

“Of those who think that these services would respond, most (74%) believe that the response time would be an hour or less.”

I believe that 100% of those responses should be measured in minutes, not hours, but if the message isn’t seen how can there be a response.

The simple fact is that nothing will beat the immediacy and attention that a 911 call will receive.  911 HAS TO BE THE FIRST CHOICE in any emergency or disaster situation.

There are two very important messages in this survey that cannot be ignored by our emergency services.

1.) Our public has an expectation that if we are using social media, we need to be aware of what is being said and talked about and be in a position to respond.

2.) We need to ensure that public awareness of the limitations or design of an agencies social media presence is communicated on a regular basis so that there are no false expectations or beliefs of what an agency can and can’t / will and won’t be able to do in a crisis.

There has been a great deal of discussion in interoperability, emergency management and  social media circles about the use of SM in emergencies.  Here is one example from Japan.

The survey also included a very important piece about preparedness that needs to be better communicated to the public and also internally to our own members.

“While many Canadians say that they have personally experienced emergencies, two-thirds (66%) of Canadians have not taken steps to prepare themselves in the event of a disaster.  One-third (34%) of Canadians, however, say that they have taken steps to prepare for such situations.”

PUBLIC: A prepared population can significantly reduce the need for resource allocation during an emergency.  Even though 2/3s of us have experienced emergencies, only 1/3 have prepared for it.  That means by average, 2 in 3 people will not be in a position to be self-sufficient and will need assistance.

TRI-SERVICES: In an emergency or disaster event, we may be away from our families for an extended period of time.  In some cases, our families may be directly impacted by the event itself.  Are we in a position to care for our community when our families also need that care.  Make sure that you are prepared with a 72 hour emergency preparedness kit for your home and yourself.

I encourage you all to take a look at the survey results: It really is a great snap shot of the issues I have discussed here and many more facts and figures that can help you in your messaging.

Canadian Red Cross Blog

Ipsos Reid Release

Infographic courtesy of the Canadian Red Cross

Congratulations to the Canadian Red Cross for such a great survey that so many of us can use.  You really are a great partner in public safety!

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The Twitter book for Police & Law Enforcement

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Tim Burrows

Available through Amazon

Scratch something off my bucket list… I wrote a book and its been published.  In all fairness, it is best described as an e-book and it won’t win any writing awards or get any New York Times Best Seller accolades, but its something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

It is a basic guide for police and law enforcement looking at using Twitter which takes you from signing up, signing on and detailing how Twitter works and most of the functionality and language that is unique to Twitter.  If you know nothing about the platform, this will answer your questions. If you are already a Twitter user, you’ll find great information and examples of real agencies showing how they have used the platform.

In reality, this book can also be beneficial to fire services, emergency medical personnel, health care and to an extent government since we all face some of the same issues; legal, ethical, privacy and public service.

Want a sneak peek inside??? Click here and then click on the cover of the book.

I’m really hoping you take the opportunity to download this e-book, because once the book hits 500 downloads, proceeds from its sale will be going to some very special charities.

1.) C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors): Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. provides resources to assist in the rebuilding of the lives of surviving families and affected co-workers of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty as determined by Federal criteria.  Furthermore, C.O.P.S. provides training to law enforcement agencies on survivor victimization issues and educates the public of the need to support the law enforcement profession and its survivors.

2.) C.C.V.F. (Canadian Crime Victim Foundation): The founders of the CCVF are survivors of crime and have encountered a loss and pain that they hope no others will be forced to experience.

Joe and Lozanne Wamback have researched and worked with victims of crime, service providers and justice system personnel, since the assault on their young son Jonathan, to try to understand criminal activity, the victim aftermath, Canadian criminal legislation, our legal system and most importantly, how existing victim services work for victims. Through their own experience and close relationships with many other victims, they have learned that Canadian victim services and victims rights are sporadic and under funded at best, and that the systemic revictimization of Canadian crime victims remains unchecked and unaccountable.

They have learned simply, that Canada does not comply with a United Nations convention on the “Rights of Victims of Crime” In addition, despite the Victims Bills of Rights enacted by all the provinces, victims still have no remedy, nor instrument with which to enforce those rights.

They have learned that Canada stands 29th in a list of 29 countries they have studied, with respect to providing compensation and basic assistance to its victims of crime, and most recently that several Canadian provinces have actually eliminated crime victim compensation. They decided to tackle, and make change to issues that no other organization before them in Canada has. Issues that are as fundamental as basic human rights.

They are determined to provide, not only victim support service guidelines, but to proactively introduce a clear understanding of crime victim psychology into Canadian society and to entrench societal rights for victims of crime.

An organization dedicated to “Giving victims a voice”

 

 

 

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Fantastic Friday: Kris Doubledee

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Tim Burrows

This weeks Fantastic Friday travels to the “centre of Canada”, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

How many times have you walked or driven by a homeless person and maybe felt a little pity  perhaps offered a bit of change or a smile and continued on with your day?  Depending where you live, it can be a daily, even hourly occurrence.

Kris Doubledee was driving his city bus in Winnipeg’s downtown on Monday when he noticed a homeless man walking barefoot.  Kris said a little prayer asking, “Lord: Just ease his pain, because he has no shoes, right?” Doubledee told CTV Winnipeg.

The next day at the same location, near the same time as the day before the Lord answered Kris’ prayer from the day before.  The same man was walking barefoot again, but this day was colder.  Kris wheeled the bus over, got off and gave the man the shoes off his feet.

KRIS DOUBLEDEE
Photo by: PHIL HOSSACK/ WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Kris wasn’t looking for attention for his selfless act, but he got it.  From local to national and international, the media came looking for him.

Perhaps, the most impressive part of this story is what Kris Doubledee said in an interview with CTV:

“Just slow down a bit and pay attention to your brother and sister, and help them out,” is the advice from this kind bus driver:

Take a minute and meet Kris by watching this video from CTV. 

Kris, this Fantastic Friday is for you and your display of how to #BeGreat!

 

 

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Privacy is dead

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Tim Burrows

The question no longer is whether privacy is dead or not.  The answer to that is; Yes, privacy is dead.  No big surprise there anyone and if you think there is still privacy, sorry to give you the shock of your life, but there is no privacy.

Here are three examples that prove the point.

1.) Duchess Middleton photographed topless from over a kilometer away while at a private residence, on vacation with her husband.

2.) Presidential candidate Romney was video taped speaking at a private dinner by a camera that was concealed in a state where the law requires the recorded party to know they are being recorded.

3.) Any number of private, intimate tapes between two consulting adults that end up very public.

The law, while incredibly important, is actually irrelevant when it comes to embarrassing, private or illegal things done in the view of a video camera, a still camera or a smart phone. Even when the law has been broken, no amount of legal punishment or remedy will heal the wounds or the reputation damage that may result.

The reality is once the picture, video or audio recording go public, the law, the context or the reality of the situation may not matter.  The picture is worth a thousand words, the video is an epic novel.

The result of any illegal or legal recordings of history will speak for themselves, even when context or explanations can soften the blow or justify the actions.  If people don’t take the time investigate a situation for themselves, the images may be all that is remembered.

The fix… don’t believe that you may be recorded at anytime, KNOW that you ARE being recorded at ALL times.  For some, that might be tough.  For others, no problem at all.

Keep in mind, I haven’t even mentioned the privacy issues associated to social networking.  There we have to consider how you personally impact your own privacy plus  the external impacts and influences on your privacy.

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