Chief’s Counsel: Social Networking Policies: Just Another Policy?

Law enforcement standards across the United States clearly set forth the need for specific policies to govern the actions and decision making of officers. In the age of Internet use and online social networking, has law enforcement provided the proper policies and procedures to take viable disciplinary action against the officers who utilize such social networking sites at the detriment of their departments? People of all ages have begun using social networking sites to interact with each other. Websites such as MySpace and Facebook provide the opportunity to post minute-by-minute updates on activities, thoughts, and opinions. What implication does this create for law enforcement operations?