27A-Department Social Media - 2019

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27A-Social Media Policy & Procedure Page 4 of 5 c. Department-Sanctioned Use i. Department personnel representing the department via social media outlets shall do the following: (a) Conduct themselves at all times as representatives of the department and, accordingly, shall adhere to all department standards of conduct and observe conventionally accepted protocols and proper decorum. (b) Identify themselves as a member of the department. (c) Not make statements about the guilt or innocence of any suspect or arrestee, or comments concerning pending prosecutions, nor post, transmit, or otherwise disseminate confidential information, including photographs or videos, related to department training, activities, or work-related assignments without express written permission. (d) Not conduct political activities or private business. ii. The use of Police Department computers by staff to access social media is prohibited “without authorization”. iii. Department personnel use of personally owned devices to manage the department’s social media activities or in the course of official duties is prohibited “without authorization”. iv. Employees shall observe and abide by all copyright, trademark, and service mark restrictions in posting materials to electronic media. d. Potential Uses i. Social media is a valuable investigative tool when seeking evidence or information about: (a) missing persons; (b) wanted persons; (c) gang participation; (d) crimes perpetrated online (i.e., cyberbullying, cyberstalking); (e) photos or videos of a crime posted by a participant or observer; and (f) potentional new hires (background investigations) ii. Social media can be used for community outreach and engagement by (a) providing crime prevention tips; (b) offering online-reporting opportunities; (c) sharing crime maps and data; and (d) Soliciting tips about unsolved crimes (i.e., Crime stoppers, text-a-tip).