Auditors

[Fedster + 1,307]

Watchdog calls for 'coherent strategies' online.

HMI Zoe Billingham led the inspection

 

The police inspectorate has told forces to make sure social media accounts are in line with their communications strategies.

HMICFRS says there is too much variation in how police use websites like Twitter and Facebook.

Its call comes a few weeks after at least two forces announced changes to their policies around social media accounts.

The watchdog carried out inspections in the last few months of 2017 and released a report this week on effectiveness in policing.

The PEEL review, by Zoe Billingham, says: “It is positive that forces are embracing social media (all have some Facebook and Twitter presence and the majority are using YouTube and Instagram).

“Our inspection found many examples of excellent and innovative use of social media.

“It is important for forces to have coherent strategies for how they use social media and communicate with their communities.”

Elsewhere, it notes: “Our analysis suggested that police use of social media communications is not always linked to a force strategy for engaging the public and reducing crime.”

Changes to police Twitter accounts have been the subject of debate online in recent weeks after changes to force strategies became apparent.

Gloucestershire Constabulary centralised its dog handler accounts following a review earlier this year, shutting down several of them. A spokesman for the force said yesterday that this was nothing to do with HMICFRS.

Staffordshire Police Chief Constable Gareth Morgan recently said he is reviewing his force’s approach.

On Twitter, he said: “Want more people (& dogs!) involved & talking with the public. Looking to transfer 'unofficial' accounts over to carry on what they're doing.

“I am concerned that 'unofficial' and private accounts don't always appreciate that if they're staff they are accountable and responsible for content. Would rather extend 'reach' and support colleagues to get it right.”

A force spokesman said the review is not a response to the PEEL inspections.

Retired officer Mike Pannett, who helps organise the Police Twitter Awards, told Police Oracle: “Corporate accounts have their place but it would be another PR disaster if - after we’ve lost so many police stations - forces removed individuals who the public can feel a connection with.

“At the moment there are many that are great at public engagement. Give advice by all means, but centralising them all would not be a good idea."

HMICFRS’s report also calls for more dialogue with the public instead of accounts just “broadcasting messages”, as is the norm at the moment.

It noted that officers and staff using individual accounts were more likely to have conversations with people.

A recent analysis found that corporate police accounts would benefit from learning from accounts run by popular individuals.

View On Police Oracle

[Beaker 817]

I already have a list of rules that I have to stick to when I use the force facebook or twitter, why not totally destroy the joy and make me write even less stuff?

[Fedster + 1,307]

Is the Inspector Gadget Twitter feed an anonymous feed? Its clearly identifiable because he is the author of a popular book, so begs the question in the context of the OP why is his Twitter feed allowed ? Or is it because its a personal account his force are not too fussed?

[Chaos + 151]

This thread it like my topic... But better [emoji848][emoji10].

It's just like I was saying... It's started with one or two accounts... Then some anonymous accounts... Now it's turned into a bit of a social media craze.... It was only a matter of time before a force or IPCC / PSD started to get a grip of it.

[Reasonable Man + 1,251]

I can't see any issue with the story. It says social media is generally good but if it's going to come from the Force then it's best to have some corporacy over the content.
Unless someone wants to be deliberately provocative why would they complain at that?
The other thing is it will help stop people from posting in ignorance. I have heard and read all sorts of nonsense being spouted from people who think they know. Reminds me of Nick Clegg who thought it was the right thing to do away with university fees - then when he got in power he saw the truth of the situation.

[Beaker 817]

Our rules are somewhat tight already. Which I could deal with, except one of the S/SGTs posts on EVERYTHING anyone else does. He's encouraged by some senior officers, but the simple fact is that he posts over the top of everyone else, and takes over every conversation. An argument put forward is that he's being proactive, but TBH all he does is annoy everyone else who then stops using it.

[SimonT + 1,194]

Part of the issue is that individual accounts and officers get across the personal stuff. The interesting and unusual incidents that people are interested in. 

Our force account is full of celebrating World X day, we are concerned for person Y and the occasional success story. It's informative and crushingly dull. Generally retweeted by the dozens of senior management accounts we have. 

Whilst there is a place for it, you need a smattering of officers talking about what we actually do, people we meet jobs that people might have actually seen etc

All within the guidelines, naturally. 

 

[Policey_Man + 765]

This was bound to happen eventually and I'm surprised it took so long.

I think the Police use of social media is an excellent way to engage with the public, but as was said above, sometimes a lot of the feeds are terribly dull and simply a retweet of stuff that has been published elsewhere. Then we have accounts following and talking to each other and a lot of the activity isn't public engagement at all, it's just intra-police service.

So places do need a rationalisation of accounts to be honest, if they aren't being used properly. I can't believe that the Met has soooooo many Twitter accounts for example. One for every Borough - so there is 32 to start with, one for every SNT - I think that's another 629 - plus all the specialist and other accounts.

What we need are active accounts that people feel like they have ownership of, that talk about the job, what has happened today and that give a real insight into the job. Funny stories, good arrests, all stuff like that should be on there. We have soooo much of it, yet we hardly publish any of it. Accounts that stay dormant for weeks and months or just retweet other accounts have no place and need to be closed.