https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Subscribe to GovPro
    • Manage GovPro Subscription
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
acc.com

Public Safety


Viewpoint: Fighting crime with social media

Viewpoint: Fighting crime with social media

Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have become common ways for people to communicate, and to plan crimes, something law enforcement agencies need to do more to address.
  • Written by Steve Serrao and Dale Peet
  • 20th September 2011

Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have become common ways for people to communicate, but for the most part, law enforcement isn’t listening. Consider this: The first place we hear about a major criminal act in the country is via social media, and even news stations rely on the sites for their reporting. Our police agencies need to become just as savvy, both in reactive and predictive responses to criminal situations.

Recently, there has been evidence of instant messaging and social media networks being used to coordinate crime activity. In Chicago, Philadelphia and elsewhere, police are working to prevent recurrences of flash mob crimes. For example, teenagers have been using Twitter to notify each other as they target stores on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue and can overwhelm private security with sheer numbers in a brief and well-coordinated merchandise grab. There also have been crimes that rely on social media communications to target an individual for robbery in a precisely timed, violent attack.

The good news is that digital fingerprints are providing law enforcement with tips and leads on criminal activity, such as the location of a flash mob with criminal intent, gang activity revealed through posts that brag, and photos that can serve as evidence. However, most law enforcement agencies need to improve monitoring or using social media sites to gather intelligence.

New analytics technologies exist that can pore through huge amounts of social media data to uncover patterns and analyze sentiment. Social media analytics (SMA) can continuously monitor online and conversation data written in any major language to identify important topics and content categories. Predictive analytics can be used to see a criminal threat develop and alert law enforcement to intercede to prevent a crime from occurring.

When an individual tweets or posts information about a target, a crime and a specific time, that shows intent. It does not cross the line to an overt act of conspiracy until people show up at the location and agree that the crime should be committed. When people agree on a criminal plan of action, it becomes a violation of law, and arrests can be made. Law enforcement agencies need to tread carefully here because peaceful public assembly is a guaranteed right, and that is not a right that should be compromised. However, police departments can and should take action when criminal intent is stated on social media sites. The key is monitoring and analyzing the data in near real-time, and providing that information to officers as quickly as possible.

There also is evidence left behind after social media-related crimes. Police are using search technologies in their investigations to examine social media accounts that may have been used to identify a target and a time, and police are checking which users forwarded, “re-tweeted” or acknowledged the information. That sets the stage to obtain court orders to obtain user information for accounts so law enforcement can gather the evidence, make arrests and prosecute.

The importance of emerging social media communication channels has caught law enforcement by surprise. Make no mistake, the communication channels must be tapped by law enforcement very effectively and quickly, or the gangs, criminals, and radical groups will have the edge. If an investigator does not see the related social media activity, then he may dismiss a crime as a random act of violence. But good investigators are quickly learning how to use technology to piece the puzzle together.

Capt. Stephen Serrao is a former New Jersey State Police Counterterrorism Bureau Chief. He now serves as director of Law Enforcement Solutions on the Memex Solutions Team at SAS, a provider of intelligence management and data analytics solutions for law enforcement, military intelligence and commercial organizations. Serrao can be reached at steve.serrao@sas.com.

Dale Peet is a 23-year veteran of the Michigan State Police and the retired commander of the Michigan Intelligence Operations Center, Michigan’s largest and primary fusion center for homeland security. He now serves as principal consultant to the Memex Solutions Team at SAS. Peet can be reached at dale.peet@sas.com.

What do you think? Tell us in the comment box below.

Related Stories

  • Video: Philadelphia imposes new curfew in response to ‘flash mobs’
  • 5 tips on using social media metrics in government
Tags: Public Safety Smart Cities & Technology

Related


  • In challenging year, working with public safety to move FirstNet forward
    It has been a challenging year for the nation, especially for the first responders who are on the front lines of wildfires, hurricanes, and the COVID-19 pandemic. During this historic year, the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) remained committed as ever to helping first responders save lives and protect communities. As part of our […]
  • D.C. police begin identifying Capitol rioters
    Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to identify the supporters of President Donald Trump who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. “MPD seeks assistance in identifying persons of interest responsible for Unlawful Entry offenses that occurred yesterday on US Capitol Grounds, 100 block of 1st […]
  • 2021 is when AI in public safety gets real
    2021 is the year AI in public safety gets real because it’s no longer a misunderstood technology full of empty promises
  • Governments must help consortia drive autonomous progress
    There are a number of consortia being created to push the way for us all to see connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) on our roads. Nissan, for example, has joined ServCity to develop a blueprint to enable cities to introduce them into cities across the UK. Similar consortia have been created in the country, and […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Lessons from the pandemic: Emergency sourcing of lifesaving equipment
  • How 2020 accelerated government reliance on new sources of economic data analytics
  • Colorado county’s value-based health care strategy produces savings
  • Florida county announces successful test of Motorola Solutions’ cloud-based P25 core technology

White papers


How a unified HR system helps one public safety organization manage crews, payroll, and more in a single platform

7th January 2021

Your Roadmap to COVID-19 Funding

18th December 2020

The One Where Everyone Wins: A Mutually Beneficial Contracting Method

10th December 2020
view all

Events


PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

The latest episode The Young Leaders Podcast focuses on Cyril Jefferson. Cyril is the youngest African American to… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

27th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

Hillsboro, Oregon is pioneering a new #renewableenergy generation technology through a partnership with… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

27th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

The impact of the #COVID19 pandemic on #telework was swift and profound. Now, the big question is whether – and to… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

Get ready for the can't-miss webinar on how to kickstart your efficiency improvement plan with Luke Anderson of… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

Among all states headed into the 2020 general election, which ones have voting populations that are the most demogr… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts in our readership survey to help us shape future content so that we c… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

23rd October 2020
AmerCityCounty

See how cities different approaches to distribute masks in their communities >> spr.ly/6010GAPLa

23rd October 2020
AmerCityCounty

While #facialrecognition is a powerful tool that can improve law enforcement efficiency, that doesn’t necessarily t… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

23rd October 2020

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X