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

Commentaries


Commentary

Viewpoint: To aid emergency management, turn to social media

Viewpoint: To aid emergency management, turn to social media

By Dale Peet —Social media analytics can help law enforcement and first responders address civil unrest and disasters
  • Written by contributor
  • 5th September 2012

By Dale Peet

Law enforcement agencies and first responders would do well to acclimate themselves to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media sites as additional tools in the emergency management toolbox. Such sites can provide crucial information during civil unrest, natural disasters and other disturbances. Gaining real-time information can make a tremendous improvement on response times and strategies, and rendering the necessary assistance.

In a tornado, for example, residents and businesses are using social media tools to share photos, videos and other information during and after the storms. Staff in emergency operations centers (EOCs) can use those same tools to gain accurate information and data from the scene even if from unofficial resources like the public. Real-time information gives public officials situational awareness that is very important to the decision-making process.

Social media technology has been used in business for some time now, but it is still new territory to law enforcement and emergency management personnel. It can’t remain new for long.

Take a recent story in USA Today about gangs in Kansas using social media for recruiting and organizing members, and sharing information. Law enforcement needs to identify these organizations so they can stay abreast of developments. One way to do so is with social media analytics, which quickly analyzes social media content to find relevant patterns and information.

Social media analysis tools, such as sentiment analysis technology, also can be useful in cases where threats have been made against public figures and other people. For example, Jared Loughner, the man who shot Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in January 2011, posted anti-government rants on social media sites before the assassination attempt. Law enforcement could use social media analysis and sentiment analysis to assess posts that make serious threats against life or property, with the goal of interdiction. The technology can analyze thousands of posts around certain keywords, such as “anti-government,” in an effort to identify individuals who pose real threats, giving law enforcement valuable information in the prevention of criminal activity.

I am not advocating monitoring people’s private information. For private social media content, police need to follow the legal process of preparing an affidavit containing probable cause, which is presented to a court. After a thorough review, a search warrant may be authorized by a judge. However, law enforcement or private security firms can monitor public content to help identify individuals who pose veritable threats. Doing so could help prevent or disrupt a violent act and/or provide evidence in a criminal case.

When activity reaches a certain overtly threatening level, such as the desire to “hunt down a judge,” then the analysis technology can generate warnings to law enforcement analysts — even to Secret Service agents in the case of federal officials, or private security agencies in the case of executives, entertainers and actors. If a threshold is reached, the responsible agency must determine the validity and seriousness of threats before any action can be taken. A person could be suffering from mental illness, and law enforcement can secure help before the person crosses a criminal line. Does the person have a violent background? The official may be able to diffuse the situation by simply talking to them, and letting them know that someone is actually listening to them. 

The goal in all of this should never be to stifle free speech, rather, it should be to disrupt violent actions before they occur and deliver emergency help as soon as possible. Social media analytics technology is available. It’s now up to law enforcement and first responders to make the most of it.

Lieutenant 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 Senior Industry Consultant at SAS. Peet can be reached at dale.peet@sas.com. 

Tags: Administration Public Safety Smart Cities & Technology Commentaries Commentary

Related


  • Biden’s relief plan includes $350 billion for local and state government
    President-Elect Joe Biden announced a $1.9 trillion relief plan Thursday to combat the COVID-19 crisis and the economic downturn it has caused. In addition to $400 million to combat the pandemic specifically, the proposal includes $350 billion for state, local and tribal governments that would help them to bridge budget shortfalls, help public works maintain […]
  • Report: Many governments facing revenue shortfalls due to COVID-19
    A new survey of local governments reveals that 68 percent of responding governments see moderate, significant or major financial adjustments as being needed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The State of Local Government Survey, released by cloud ERP software provider OpenGov in December, reveals the gaps that 501 local governments have found across their […]
  • Cleveland launches program to create circular rconomy
    The City of Cleveland and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress announced the launch of Circular Cleveland, a two-year initiative to develop and implement circular economy strategies and programs in Cleveland. Inspired by similar models in cities around the world, the circular economy is a comprehensive approach to provide community-wide benefits by designing waste and pollution out of our economic system, keeping […]
  • Florida county announces successful test of Motorola Solutions’ cloud-based P25 core technology
    A Florida county recently announced the completion of a successful test of Motorola Solutions’ CirrusCentral Core, the cloud-based secondary core for ASTRO 25 P25 systems that is designed to provide redundant reliability to the land-mobile-radio (LMR) network without the costs associated with a physical secondary core site. In Sumter County, Fla., the absence of a […]

Related Content

  • Public safety needs a better way to triage emergency calls
  • D.C. police begin identifying Capitol rioters
  • In challenging year, working with public safety to move FirstNet forward
  • FirstNet Authority releases new details about impact of Nashville explosion on broadband system

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