http://www.wcax.com/story/19710337/springfield-police-embrace-social-media
Springfield police embrace social media
Posted: Oct 02, 2012 6:37 PM EDT Updated: Oct 02, 2012 8:34 PM EDT
By Jennifer Reading - WCAX
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. -
The type of crime creeping into Springfield is changing.
"Drug use, gangs coming into the area," said Josephine Coleman of Springfield.
It's making many folks uncomfortable, especially when they couldn't get access to the facts.
"You hear gunshots and you don't know anything until a couple of weeks later in the newspaper," said Julie Beauchain, who owns a salon in Springfield.
Springfield Police decided it was time to try something new. They fired up a Facebook page and banked on the power of social media.
"It's the way of communications now," Springfield Police Chief Doug Johnston said. "It's the way to get out to the people."
Apparently it's working. More than 2,000 fans now follow what the department posts.
"It's just one click away basically," said Gary Paradis of Springfield.
"It gives my bosses an idea of what's going on in their block," said Jennifer Cole-Dawson, who works in Springfield.
The department uses the public forum to post weekly summaries of the calls officers respond to, as well as noteworthy pictures, like a close encounter with an impaired driver. Press releases go into greater detail about the bigger cases. This is where most departments that have a Facebook page stop. But Springfield decided to push the envelope, answering questions about the law, due process and constitutional rights.
Reporter Jennifer Reading: Is it scary to engage the public in this way?
Chief Doug Johnston: No, I don't think so, because we're putting out facts. We're not debating issues over the Facebook page.
But the conversations typically turn to emotionally charged topics and the department can't keep users from arguing online. Johnston says it's a fine line for the department and it takes a lot of manpower to monitor the posts.
"We got to remember that all people are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law and they have a right to a fair trial, so you got to be careful about what you post," Johnston said.
He says it's a risk he's willing to take because the information flows both ways. Tips range from commuters telling police where people are speeding to informants sending messages about drug activity. The leap into cyberspace wasn't the chief's idea, but he's happy his young staff pushed him into it.
"They're trying to get me to go to the Twitter, too, now," he said. "So we'll see what happens on that."
It's a social media experiment he's willing to continue as far as the law will allow.
Well, I am not sure what this is all about, whether an old story or new but i am contacting WCAX to let them know that THE TOWN wants it shut down. How sketchy
ReplyDeleteThe entire town wants it shut down? I kinda like it. I love reading about some of you idiots being caught for drug use, fighting and retail theft.
DeleteInteresting. Bet they get all kinds of good info, hope they crack down FAST.
ReplyDeleteSpringfield PD - where the criminals are your FB friends.
ReplyDeleteI would be scared to befriend the local PD. Who knows what they will do !! I wouldn't call them the fairest and best of police departments. Of all the known mistakes they have made.... RUN from their FB page!
ReplyDeleteI think it is great !! I facebooked them last week and they responded RIGHT AWAY !! Go figure! Why bother calling their direct line, that takes hours for them to stop by. I like immediate response and this seems to work for me.
ReplyDeleteAhhh.... Yes, A silver lining.
DeleteThe town shutting down this page is silly !! This is a wonderfully - imaginative - original -and unique idea to deal with SERIOUS crime issues that are haunting this town !!
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing original about a FB page. REALLY !!!!
Deletethey havent shut it down people READ, they still post as usual they just don't let people comment, which is good for all of us! people from other communities pick on us because of stupid things people say on that page and make us all look bad!
DeleteSeriously? People pick on us?...Are we in 2nd grade here? Tell me, reading the comments, did it open you eyes to the community we have become? Is firing off at the PD Face Book page the best and most productive way you can influence change in this community? There are so many things that could be changed in this community but without people willing to step up and say enough is enough, that we want forward moving leadership and verifiable action NOW...as the saying goes you'll always get what you always got...but if you expend your energies in something other than complaining about a FB page you might just get something new, better, innovative....
DeleteGood luck picking a jury....
DeleteANY good lawyer and most of the sucky lawyers here around Springfield could make a big deal over 2000+ people reading about a wrongly arrested person that had their name posted and the comunity made fun of them.
Seriously people pick on the petty crap that happens in Springfield and gets aired so publically on this site. Over in Charlestown we have a heck of a good laugh and comments over coffee about this stuff. :) Not that we can really talk, but at least we don't have trolls calling attention to it on a website!
DeleteSorry to know that sexual assaults against children; DUIs and assaults between adults causing serious injury are petty crap...I bet those 7 children that have to live with the memories of being sexually assaulted don't think it's so petty either....so laugh if you will if that is what you seek humor in...
DeleteSprindfield PD - on TV for putting up a FB page !! I'd rather see them on TV for making arrests !! Doing something productive, FaceBook? Really? Is that all they got?
ReplyDeleteWait until you see their calendar that will be selling soon for 2013. Shots of them working "undercover", trapping speeders, driving naked with just a hat and a gun, strip searching each other, etc., etc. The chief has posed for at least four of the months in various poses with different facial expressions. I like the clueless in March one best.
ReplyDeleteHaving looked at the page for the first time, I think if the Police post someones personal information and they then are found not guilty...
ReplyDeleteSeriously folks, it's not the newspaper.
It's hi-tech cross reference data that can ruin your families lives.
Facebook is like the plague. Posting some of what they post on Facebook is really wrong... I hope they take it down before it bites them on the hand.
Right now their are people at home freaking out because they know people are laughing at them for being commented about, on the Springfield P.D. Facebook page.
I don't have a problem with the comment section as much as with the "scorecard" that's being kept trying to prove to us their worth. The first step is to make an arrest, the police are not a posse so they don't get to do the hanging right then and there. A Judge and jury get to decide if the arrest was warranted, thus innocent til proven guilty. That is something we learned in like third grade (not anymore of course). For major arrest such as murder, drug bust or fatal accident and the person(s) reponsible are caught red handed maybe it's not such a big deal. But to post every little arrest is silly and making Springfield look more foolish than the comments being made. Doh!
Deletemy guess is it will bring about a loan gunman.
DeleteI only say this hoping to help prevent it.
I cannot believe the government of this town is so blind and incompetent
Are you criticizing the highly literate posts that Springfield citizens and non-citizens and trolls and mentally challenged people make on this blogsite? How elitest of you! The first step is arrest them, second step is try them in the papers and on this blogspot, and third step is the prosecuting attorney drops the charges. Am I missing something here?
Deletebetter go brush up my facebook page
DeleteI like looking at all of the life at the bottom of the ocean.
ReplyDelete