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Evaluating Argument Essay Assignment

Social Media: Establishing Criteria for Law Enforcement Use

Terri Oxendine

Eastern Gateway Community College

English 102

Maya Smith

April 25, 2021

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Social Media: Establishing Criteria for Law Enforcement Use

In the article Social Media: Establishing Criteria for Law Enforcement Use by Robert D.

Stuart (2013), he shares that “social media has been a widespread presence that touches the lives

of countless people including law enforcement officers.” He discusses the risks that the law

officers take using social media. He showed points that can help law enforcement officers

understand and apply social media, the problems they can face and solutions for the problems

that they encounter.

Social media use has spread like a wildfire since 2010, social media is now not just

newspapers and television, it includes the internet from MySpace, to Facebook, YouTube, and

Twitter these are different types of social networking sites. All types of information can be

shared with others like pictures, personal information, videos, location, and personal interest.

These sites have settings that can control what other people can and cannot see. But now other

users can get more information than what is originally shared, which can cause even more

complications. Social media being used by law enforcement officers can help provide useful

information. This can be a good benefit for public relations, it can help decrease crime rates, and

help offer info on criminal investigations. If the department agrees with the use of social media,

more opportunities are available to get the public’s help and attention. Then they can help

officers with providing tips and making suggestions to help make their community better. Stuart

(2013) states “in 2011 Kentucky State Police investigators shared photos of jewelry, a tattoo, and

a facial composite relating to an unknown body found 10 years earlier.” Those investigators were

able to identify the person with the response from the post that was shared on social media. Law
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enforcement have been able to make arrests and make other connections because of information

that was shared on a criminal’s social media account.

The agencies must realize that there will be if they begin to use social media within the

department. Law officers should not mix work and personal life on social media. A survey in

“2011 showed that 78% of law enforcement had a social media account and over 38% showed

themselves as policing professionals”, Stuart (2013). If officers mix work and their lives on

social media, they can harm their reputation along with the department’s. If an officer is posting

pictures or videos of crime scenes and evidence on social media this can cause issues with the

case. Sharing their feelings and surroundings while on duty can allow room for questioning their

job performances. Sharing this information can cause problems to arise within the public. This

can also lead to the department or other agencies to enforce disciplinary actions against the

officer. In one case in “Texas, Stuart (2013) states, a defense attorney found a MySpace page of

his client’s arresting officer. The page listed the officer’s occupation as “superhero/serial killer”

and included expressions of interest in intense violence and graphic pictures of women with

carvings in their skin. The defense attorney claimed this was evidence of the officer’s excessive

force against his client.” This caused the officer and the department to be questioned. The public

would now think that all officers would use excessive force, or that they abuse all criminals.

Stuart states that “Law enforcement agencies must establish standard rules and policies

for social media usage that will balance the constitutional rights of officers while protecting the

integrity of the departments and investigations.” The policy should state the official purpose for

the use of social media, the sites security, and the privacy issues. Departments must educate each

officer regularly and address the use of social media. Officers must know what can and cannot be

shared while on duty. The policy should be updated regularly due to changes in social media and
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technology. When everyone is educated then they will know how to protect themselves and their

departments when using social media. The freedom of speech right is still considered when an

officer is using their own device and officers will still be held accountable for the information

they share. There are restrictions on information that the agencies can permit and restrict, for

instance of the information will interfere or impact a case or the department it can be restricted.

Robert D. Stuart clearly shows how law enforcement using social media can be a positive

change for our world. In any case, there are incidents while using social media that cause issues

it can cause criminal liability. If everyone is educated correctly and there are no incidents that

jeopardize the individual or departments social media can be tools that will help our law

enforcement. Social media will continue to spread in the future and the public will have access to

more information.
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Reference

Social Media: Establishing Criteria for Law Enforcement Use, Robert D. Stuart, 2013,

https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/featured-articles/social-media-establishing-criteria-for-law-

enforcement-use