Social Media In Policing: A Study Of DFW Area City Police Departments

A robbery occurs at a local business. When the robbery occurs, the police department immediately sends out a Twitter announcement notifying subscribers of the crime and asking them to be on the lookout for the suspects. Intelligence analysts begin checking other social media sites for subscribers who may have “checked in” near the crime. They find several people have checked in at businesses in the area using Facebook, Yelp and Four Square. Analysts send text messages to these people, who are immediately on the lookout for the suspects. Several quickly report suspicious activity and take pictures of a vehicle fleeing the scene, uploading them to the Department’s Facebook page. Analysts broadcast descriptions of the vehicle to responding officers, and the vehicle is located leaving the mall. The suspects are arrested 4with stolen property from the robbery within minutes of the crime.