With some law enforcement agencies using Pinterest to post mug shots, Twitter to send out crime alerts and Facebook and NextDoor to reach out to the general public, public safety organizations are recognizing the value of the easy community connections and communication that can come with social media. Traditional social media channels, however, are not without their risks.
An FBI bulletin discussing Social Media and Law Enforcement outlined several potential hazards police may face when using social media platforms. These include public access to employees’ personal information, malicious online attacks, lax comment moderation, and the cloak of anonymity that gives people free reign to post whatever they wish with no fear of repercussions.
An ideal solution would be to preserve all the benefits of social media while eradicating the risks. And that’s exactly what SmartForce did with its Community Collaboration module.
Community Collaboration Module Ready for Action
The Community Collaboration module is part of the SmartForce platform and included with your subscription. The biggest benefit, by far, is the overall ease with which you can reach out, connect, establish and improve relationships with your local community partners.
The faster you get started with the module, the more quickly you’ll see how it can help your agency become smarter and more efficient with both crime reduction and community relations.
Connections and Collaboration
SmartForce lets your law enforcement agency enjoy a secure, two-way conversation with anyone else your agency authorizes to enter the forum. Your agency can then confidently connect with and collaborate on a wide range of projects and issues, sharing:
- School safety programs
- Business watch
- Critical infrastructure protection
- Key event planning and coordination
- Crime prevention strategies
In addition to sharing specific knowledge, your agency and others in the forum can securely open discussions on topics pertinent to safety, security and of overall importance to the community.
Fortified Forum
While the module is similar to social media channels by allowing for the rapid dissemination of information and sharing, it’s drastically different in the way of security. Traditional social media channels are often open to the general public, with no control over who can view and contribute information.
Even when you set up specific privacy settings within social media channels, there is no guarantee that the information you’re sharing can’t be unlawfully accessed by uninvited parties. The risk that your accounts can be hacked is also greater.
That’s not the case with the SmartForce module. As with all features within the platform, stringent security measures are in place to ensure the information is only accessible by those authorized to view it. Rather than an open arena for the general public, the module functions more like a secure meeting room open by invitation only.
And law enforcement agencies are welcome to invite whomever they choose to join the forum. Secure connections, discussions and collaborations can be established and maintained with:
- Other law enforcement and public safety agencies
- Local groups and businesses
- Schools, churches and other educational and religious organizations
- Citizens on patrol and home owner associations
- Community partners
- Any organization or individual of your agency’s choosing
- The Bottom Line on Benefits
Posting questions and opening discussions with community groups can transition from conversations online to targeted patrols on the street. Headquarters can use the gathered information to drive proactive patrol where issues are located, with enforcement beefed up by foot patrols, DUI enforcement zones or other tactics as needed.
The Community Collaboration module can additionally be used as a way to:
- Post criminal and crime details
- Support community policing
- Deliver targeted information
- Gather insights and wisdom
- Interact with the community you serve
Enhanced community collaboration that results in smarter and more efficient policing is only a few mouse clicks away on your SmartForce platform. Get started now.
