Text Messages and Social Media in Public Safety

The popularity of SMS/text messaging and social media has exploded in recent years, both in our personal lives and in the workplace. Because of this, public safety agencies should be aware of certain guidelines and considerations when allowing employees to utilize these burgeoning communications tools. One such consideration is the role text messages and social media plays in open records requests, eDiscovery, and litigation events.

In this guide, we examine how public safety agencies can create policies that allow for compliant use of SMS/text messaging and social media and how to retain and archive those communications for a more efficient response to open records requests.