916 – Effective Social Media

Social media helps humanize police departments by allowing the police force to connect and converse with the public; more importantly, it provides a platform for police officers to share multiple types of information quickly. Sergeant Tracy Lillard will show several ways she employs social media, including examples for other agencies, such as fire departments, school districts, park districts, and weather services. The most effective technique is using humor. With her quick wit, and her use of photos, and interesting hashtags and conversation starters she has grown her social media following to several hundred thousand and has created a new understanding from the community about police officers and the Illinois State Police. She can help you see a new way to communicate to the public using social media.
Learning Outcomes:
- Understand how to use social media effectively to educate the public, quickly provide emergency information to the masses, and showcase what your agency is doing.
- Employ your agency/department’s social media platforms to gain followers.
- Learn how social media can be effective in relating to the public and be a great resource for citizens, first responders, and news outlets.
- Use tools to aid your agency in using better content, making social media a great educational resource.