What are the police doing on social media? Not personally, for those who are, but as a profession? It is an important question to ask as it is becoming increasingly rare to find a law enforcement agency that does not have a presence on social media, yet it is equally rare to find a law enforcement leader who does not struggle with its challenges. Misinformation often spreads more quickly than facts while internet trolls and keyboard warriors disrupt agencies’ efforts to use social media for positive purposes. A host of administrative challenges associated with managing a government social media account, including navigating protections for free speech, complying with records retention policies, ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act or its counterparts outside the United States, and being aware of copyright rules add to the challenges. Additionally, managing a social media account requires personnel resources, including staff to create and post content, monitor and respond to comments, and maintain records retention of platforms that are active 24 hours a day. It’s little wonder some law enforcement leaders ask if social media is worth the effort.

For some law enforcement agencies, social media is strategic and goal oriented. Those agencies are reaping the benefits that outweigh the challenges. However, other agencies appear to be maintaining their accounts simply to meet the growing community expectation that law enforcement be present on social media. Meeting that minimum expectation while taking on the downsides of having a social media presence naturally leaves leaders frustrated.

What are the police doing on social media? When that question has answers that are tangible, measurable goals, an organization’s approach to social media and its relationship with its stakeholders are transformed.

Law enforcement is at its very best when it is working to accomplish a specific purpose through defined roles, backed by policy and intentional practice. From handling a parking complaint to serving a high-risk search warrant and the widely varied tasks in between, the formula can always be reduced to specific people doing specific things to achieve a specific purpose. Yet, while the vast majority of law enforcement agencies have a presence in the digital world of social media, the answer to the question about what they’re doing on social media isn’t always as clear or operationalized as the other tasks law enforcement has traditionally carried out.