Law enforcement officers across the U.S. have implemented social media as tool in their crime fighting efforts. Police departments often have their own accounts and maintain active pages on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Officers use these sites to obtain information about victims or presumed suspects of a crime, and also to share information with members of their communities.
In April 2013, BrightPlanet conducted a study on the use of Twitter among the nation’s police departments. They identified 772 active Twitter accounts run by state and local law enforcement units, resulting in a grand total of more than 115,000 unique tweets. The study also revealed that these 772 police departments had nearly three million combined Twitter followers. Check out the list below to see which 10 have the the most active accounts, and the largest number of followers.
10. Portland Police Department
- Handle: @PortlandPolice
- Followers: 16,127
- Bio: Sworn to Protect. Dedicated to Serve. Portland, Oregon, USA. Call 911 for Emergencies / 823-3333 for Non-Emergencies
9. Dallas Police Department
- Handle: @DallasPD
- Followers: 18,892
- Bio: Tweets will be followed by the initials of the Public Information Officer tweeting. THIS ACCT IS NOT MONITORED ON A 24 HOUR BASIS. FOR EMERGENCY CALL 9-1-1.
8. Philadelphia Police Department
- Handle: @PhillyPolice
- Followers: 21,499
- Bio: The official Twitter account for the Philadelphia Police Department. Account not monitored 24/7, if you have an emergency please call 911.
7. DC Police Department
- Handle: @DCPoliceDept
- Followers: 22,573
- Bio: MPD’s Official Twitter feed provides updates on ongoing incidents and upcoming events. Please call 911 to request police response.
6. Kansas City Police
- Handle: @kcpolice
- Followers: 22,591
- Bio: Our mission: To protect and serve with professionalism, honor and integrity.
5. New Jersey State Police
- Handle: @NJSP
- Followers: 26,057
- Bio: NJ State Police Public Information. For further info on any updates, call 609-882-2000 X6513 or after hours X7833
4. Baltimore Police Department
- Handle: @BaltimorePolice
- Followers: 35,620
- Bio: Official twitter feed of the Baltimore Police Department. This account is not monitored 24/7. Dial 911 to report crimes.
3. Seattle Police Department
- Handle: @SeattlePD
- Followers: 37,400
- Bio: Seattle Police news/events. Call 911 to report emergencies. Site is not monitored 24/7. Comments, list of followers subject to public disclosure (RCW 42.56).
2. Massachusetts State Police
- Handle: @MassStatePolice
- Followers: 70,174
- Bio: Official Twitter feed of the Massachusetts State Police. Please call 911 if you have an emergency.
1. Boston Police Department
- Handle: @Boston_Police
- Followers: 277,446
- Bio: Tweeting BPD News and real time emergency notifications.
As you can see, the Boston Police Department has a significantly larger Twitter following than the other nine departments on the list. The reason for this, according to the study, is that @Boston_Police account followers increased by 514% after the Boston Marathon Bombings. Twitter users, both local and national, looked to the police department’s account in order to stay informed and up-to-date about the manhunt that was going on at the time.
People are inclined to turn to social media after tragic crimes, like the Boston Marathon bombings, because platforms like Twitter allow for the dissemination of pertinent information in real time. Police can provide the public with information about criminals, or the status of a criminal investigation. This process is quicker and more efficient than the traditional route of having to wait to for a press conference or news article to come out. The number of police departments who maintain active social media accounts is only expected to grow in the future.
Jennifer Whitmore is a blogger from San Antonio, TX. She specializes in writing about law enforcement and the ways officers use social media to fight crime and keep the public informed.
10 Police Departments With The Most Twitter Followers
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