Campus Law Enforcement and Public Relations
Files
Date
2018
Authors
Saccio, Marisa
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT)
Abstract
Description
Law enforcement today faces challenges that are not new to this profession but are now advertised almost immediately on social media sites. This is true especially if the interaction with law enforcement is newsworthy. This brings a new dynamic to law enforcement and the relationships between officers, the people, and the communities the officers serve. Public relations practiced by campus law enforcement will help bring the officers into the campus community officers serve and create a positive rapport.
As a peace officer, campus law enforcement has a new community every semester of students. An officer confident in public relations can relate to these young people who spend a great deal of time on their cell phones and on social media sites. Using these social media sites to law enforcement’s advantage, many agencies have created online web pages, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages that post public relations interactions in a more positive light. Officers should receive public relations training to aid in the confidence of those conversations officers will have with the students, faculty/staff, and visitors to campus. Public relations is about perception. Campus law enforcement officers can use every interaction as a public relations tool to uniquely reach their population.
Keywords
Police-community relations, Campus police, Universities and colleges--security measures