Policy Development in Law Enforcement on Using Social Media

Policy Development in Law Enforcement
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Policy Development in Law Enforcement
Technological advancement is widely known to have contributed to specific ramifications across all sectors of human life. While people continue to exploit the opportunity and make working more straightforward, there is no doubt its effects are visible from time to time. The most typical manifestation of the application of technology in human social life is social media, including Twitter, My Space, Instagram, and Facebook. While most stakeholders have a superficial view of them, law enforcement institutions have faced significant challenges surrounding them despite an overall opinion that they enhance communication efficiency and effectiveness. Frequently, most police officers' conduct in the manner in which they post inappropriate information gets their leaders taking steps to gag such actions. For example, a police officer may post a video of a colleague drinking alcohol while on duty, sending the message to the public that the force lacks work ethics. Like in other professions, these developments are bound to meet resistance from relevant unions and associations (like PBA, patrolmen's benevolent association, claiming that that amounts to constitutional rights infringement. This paper aims to highlight the various regulations by law enforcement organizations on social media use, and an opinion on whether a control is required.
How the Law Enforcement Organizations Regulate Social Media Use
First, law enforcement organizations are keen to distinctly pronounce the consistency between social media resources used with the applicable agency policies and laws. These sites are merely tools intended to assist in the law implementation process. By so doing, they include the threshold for identification of admissible suspicion and criminal intelligence development. Further, they are specific on knowing how, why, and which social media an officer uses. According to Chief of Police (2020), some legal institutions align their agencies' mission requirements and legal authorities with the social media sites. For example, they link social media with ramifications that are stipulated in the state constitution, Fourth Amendment, Bill of Rights, and the American Constitution, for purposes of compliance.
Additionally, law enforcement institutions ensure they stipulate the exact situations under which their employees can use social media platforms. For instance, some use it for investigation purposes when seeking information or evidence of wanted or missing persons. Alternatively, they use social media's restricted use for community information and outreach purposes, such as in policing initiatives and fostering valuable connections, which helps prevent crime-related problems through collaborations. In some situations, they are used by agencies as excellent platforms to provide time-sensitive notifications. For instance, they may include road closures, weather emergencies, or special events. Therefore, such institutions are keen on ensuring they pronounce the exact circumstances under which social media use is allowed.
Moreover, some agencies have established authorization...