California Police Chief- Fall 2013 | Page 6

This scene depicts one way smart phones are used with social media to convey images and messages. It is part of an upcoming Peace Officers Standards and Training video. To Tweet or Not to Tweet The pros, cons and lingering questions regarding police usage of social media The Arcadia Police Department has earned a reputation as one of the most forward-thinking law enforcement agencies when it comes to social media. Indeed, more police departments are climbing on the social media bandwagon – although it’s not yet standard practice, according to a recent survey by the California Police Chiefs Association. The survey found that more than half of the police agencies that responded said they use Facebook (73%) and Twitter (52%), and another group (41.9%) use Nixle to communicate safety tips and other news with their communities. Arcadia Police Lt. Tom Le Veque, who has been instrumental in his department’s push to embrace social media and other technological tools, talked about why it makes sense for law enforcement agencies to embrace social media.  | Behind The Badge