Twitter makes for good PR for police forces, but study warns of pitfalls

VANCOUVER – Police forces across the country are flocking to Twitter, breaking news about arrests, soliciting tips from the public and offering real-time information during disasters and other crises.

But a University of British Columbia researcher says services like Twitter also present pitfalls as officers blur their professional and private lives.

Sociology professor Christopher Schneider has released a study that found polices forces in Canada primarily use Twitter as a public-relations tool, with some forces such as Toronto police even encouraging individual officers to tweet from their own accounts.

Schneider says Twitter offers police forces a new way to interact directly with the public and improve their image, particularly among younger users that might not be paying attention to traditional news media.

However, Schneider’s research also identifies potential dangers, such as officers tweeting sensitive information or writing something offensive that could reflect poorly on the force.

And he says while personal tweets might help present an officer as a likable “average Jane,” they may also inadvertently undermine the authority of police forces, which rely on officers being impersonal.