20-19 - Participating on Social Media Sites
PARTICIPATING ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
The purpose of this newsletter is to remind Department personnel to use common sense and caution while participating on social media and dating sites, including, but not limited to: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
It is the responsibility of Department personnel to recognize that as a Department member, we are held to a higher standard in many arenas, including our words and conduct on social media sites. All Department personnel shall be held accountable for their utterances, writings, conduct, and visual representations, including electronic and web-based communications, when they conflict with our Core Values, our Mission, or our Creed, when personnel can reasonably be identified as Department personnel.
The First Amendment protects Americans’ rights to freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition; however when it comes to law enforcement, Department personnel can easily become a target resulting in a negative outcome.
It is advised that personal details, such as residential, family details, and workplace information that may expose Department personnel to the general public can be unsafe to share via social media for the Department member and the member’s family. Your personal social media accounts can be easily targeted by political extremists, hacktivists, and anti-police groups even with the most restrictive security settings in place.
In addition, the usage of social media may be subject to workplace repercussions. Department personnel who cause undue embarrassment or damage the reputation of and/or erode the public’s confidence in the Department shall be deemed to have violated Department policy (3-01/000.10, Professional Conduct) and shall be subject to counseling and/or discipline up to and including discharge if your profile identifies your status as a Department member or if you can be identified as a Department member. This includes the use of social media both on and off duty.
REFERENCES
MPP 3-01/000.10 Professional Conduct
CDM 3-01/090.10 Social Media Use