Policing and social media: A mixed-method investigation of social media use by a small-town police department
| DOI | 10.1177/1461355720927429 |
| Date | 01 September 2020 |
| Published date | 01 September 2020 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
International Journal of
Police Science & Management
Policing and social media:
2020, Vol. 22(3) 263–273
ª The Author(s) 2020
A mixed-method investigation
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of social media use by a small-town
DOI: 10.1177/1461355720927429
journals.sagepub.com/home/psm
police department
Francis D Boateng
Department of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies, The University of Mississippi, USA
Joselyne Chenane
School of Criminology & Justice Studies, University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA
Abstract
In recent times, police departments across all social contexts have undergone tremendous changes, and a major catalyst of
these changes has been the emergence of social media. This technological innovation has provided departments with a
platform to communicate effectively and share information with the public. Social media have impacted policing and
transformed the way the police do their job. The current analysis focused on understanding social media usage by small
college-town police departments. Twitter and interview data were collected from the Oxford Police Department and
were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively to achieve the study’s objective. Results of these analyses revealed six main
types of information that the department shared with the public on Twitter. Recommendations for improving the police’s
use of social media are offered.
Keywords
Social media, Twitter, small town, college, policing, mixed methods
Submitted 04 Jun 2019, Revise received 02 Nov 2019, accepted 23 Apr 2020
Introduction
have social media accounts, and the number is increasing
every day (Davis et al., 2014). These statistics reveal the
Today, the use of social media technologies has prolifer-
growing use of social media.
ated almost every aspect of life, including businesses, gov-
The acceptance and use of social media among police
ernment agencies, and entertainment industries (Bonilla
forces is not just limited to the United States, police forces
and Rosa, 2015; Davis et al., 2014; Juris, 2012). Conse-
in other developed nations are also using these tools (Fer-
quently, many criminal justice agencies around the world
nandez et al., 2017; Ruddell and Jones, 2013). For instance,
have embraced social media and use them for a variety of
Scotland Yard posted pictures of riot suspects on their
reasons (Kietzmann et al., 2011; Meijer and Thaens, 2013;
Flickr account in 2011 to aide in their apprehension (Rud-
Meijer and Torenvlied, 2016). Prior to the introduction of
dell and Jones, 2013). Moreover, the Vancouver Police
social media, police departments used news media to dis-
Department, in Canada, also used their website to help
seminate pertinent information to the public (Heverin and
Zach, 2010). However, technological advancements,
including the development of social media outlets, have
Corresponding author:
created opportunities for police departments to engage the
Francis D Boateng, Department of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies,
public directly (Heverin and Zach, 2010). In the United
University of Mississippi, University Park, MS 38677, USA.
States alone, more than 2800 law enforcement agencies
Email: fboateng@olemiss.edu.
264
International Journal of Police Science & Management 22(3)
identify suspects after the hockey riots in 2011 (Ruddell
college-town police department in the United States use
and Jones, 2013). These examples demonstrate how social
social media. We hope that our research will have implica-
media can be used to leverage department resources and
tions for other small-town police departments in the United
engage the public in supporting the agency.
States as well as internationally.
The increasing accessibility of police departments to the
public via social media may provide better opportunities
Literature review
for the public to engage and hold the police accountable.
Indeed, research has revealed that social media hold the
The past decade has seen an expansion in the use of social
potential for increasing citizens’ perceptions of police
media by law enforcement agencies around the globe
effectiveness and legitimacy (Meijer and Thaens, 2013).
(Crump, 2011; Fernandez et al., 2017; Ruddell and Jones,
Positive perceptions of police legitimacy are important
2013). Although there is an emerging body of research that
because extant research has revealed a positive association
focuses on the use of social media by police departments
between perceived police legitimacy and public compli-
(Brainard and Edlin, 2015; Crump, 2011; Davis et al.,
ance with the law (Nix, 2017; Pryce, 2018; Chenane and
2014; Kavanaugh et al., 2012; Meijer and Thaens, 2013),
Wright, 2018; Boateng, 2016, 2018). Both citizens and
more research is needed to understand the potential benefits
police agencies find social media technologies useful for
or drawbacks of social media use by police departments. As
gathering and sharing information on a variety of topics
the gatekeepers of the criminal justice system, police offi-
(Meijer and Torenvlied, 2016). Perhaps more importantly,
cers have an important role to play in maintaining law and
social media technologies may have an effect on both for-
order in society (Frank et al., 2005; Lamb et al., 2004;
mal and informal social control (Bursik and Grasmick,
Robertson et al., 1996). A reciprocal relationship between
1993). Specifically, social media can foster the develop-
the police and citizens is necessary because the majority of
ment of a symbiotic relationship between the police and
what the police do is reactive and therefore requires citizen
citizens in which citizens can share information warning
participation (Nix, 2017; Pryce, 2018; Reiss, 1971; Boat-
the public about criminal activities in an area; in cases in
eng, 2012; Chenane, Wright and Gibson, 2019). The public
which they have access to a police department’s website,
participates in the coproduction of safety in their commu-
they may also provide useful information that might lead to
nities via calls to report crime and other non-crime emergen-
the apprehension and/or arrest of offenders (Heverin and
cies to the police (Murphy and Cherney, 2011; Murphy et al.,
Zach, 2010). Thus, social media can make fighting more
2008; Nix, 2017;). In this regard, social media is another
attainable by enhancing police–citizen cooperation.
avenue through which the public and police departments can
To date, the bulk of research on the use of social media
maintain communication.
among police departments has centered primarily on large
Social media technologies provide an important avenue
metropolitan departments in developed countries (Brainard
for police departments to circulate pertinent information to
and Edlin, 2015; Heverin and Zach, 2010). What remains
the public (Brainard and Edlin, 2015; Meijer and Thaens,
unclear is whether the use of social media varies across
2013). In fact, the use of social media may be advantageous
police departments. That is, does the location and size of the
for police departments because information can circulate
police department matter when it comes to how police
faster and reach larger audiences within a short time via
departments use social media to communicate with the com-
social media than via other sources like news media. In the
munities they serve? And how do citizens respond to tweets,
wake of the Boston Marathon bombing, for example, the
Facebook posts, or YouTube videos posted by police depart-
Boston Police Department was able to share important
ments in small towns and/or rural settings? Because of the
information on Twitter about the status of the investigation,
lack of research specifically investigating the use of social
correct mistaken information, and assuage the public’s
media by police departments in small college towns, much is
fears (Davis et al., 2014). Although the Boston Marathon
not known about the extent to which these departments use
bombing is an extreme example, police departments are
social media tools and for what purposes they use them.
relying on social media more and more to help in crisis
Given the variation in department sizes and the environ-
situations, including school shootings. Police forces use
ments or contexts they work in, it is obvious that research
different avenues to disseminate useful information to the
findings obtained using data from large metropolitan depart-
public. For example, officers may want to share important
ments may not be applicable to small-town agencies without
information for citizen safety or to elicit a community’s
further examination. This, therefore, necessitates further
help in investigating a crime (Brainard and Edlin, 2015;
empirical studies focusing uniquely on small-town police
Davis et al., 2014; Heverin and Zach, 2011).
agencies and their social media use. To add to the limited
It is important to note that the use of social media is not
research in this area, the current study applied a dual-
limited to sharing information about crime and disorder.
analytic approach to investigate how and why a small
Researchers have revealed that police agencies employ
Boateng and Chenane
265
social media technologies for a variety of reasons. For
police departments and citizens on social media. More spe-
instance, enhancing citizens’ input in police investigations,
cifically, Brainard and Edlin’s study revealed that the public
strengthening the public image of police departments, con-
responded to police department-initiated...
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