3334 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

VicPD:

 

 

 

[Victoria Watcher]

don’t animated gifs simply get more views?

[shoeflack]

It's easy to cherry pick this kind of content, but the overwhelming majority of all local PDs social media posts (aside from Oak Bay) are fairly standard professional posts. That being said, this kind of content also targets a different audience, so it's nice to see local police engaging with that demographic and showing a bit of humor.

[Mike K.]

What I'm saying is the prevalence of this sort of "communication" is on the rise. I don't think it's appropriate, but that's just me.

 

Who knows what's going on in Oak Bay but they're normalizing that style of posting, clearly, with VicPD starting to dabble in it. I have noticed that they've pulled back in recent weeks, though, so either they've come to realize what they're doing is overboard, or they've been asked to stop.

 

Edited.

[shoeflack]

Fair enough. I'm more in line with the VicPD approach, where the odd post like this once a week or every couple of weeks is a good bit of content diversification and more broadly engages the demographic that VicPD serves (i.e. every demographic). That being said, I think most would agree that Oak Bay is out of hand with their approach being essentially 100% memes and gifs.

[DustMagnet]

I don't even own a television Twitter account.

 

So as far as I'm concerned it's the police using the service at all that's the embarrassment.

 

<grumpy noises>

[todd]

The Oak Bay Police back in the days of our they had the image of a saltine cracker. That seems to have changed at least on the cosmetic outside as far as I can tell and possibly for multiple reasons. I may have said at the beginning “what is this the reno 911 twitter page” but I do quite like it very professional humour.

Who do you think the coolest police department is?

[Nparker]

...Who do you think the coolest police department is?

Reno or Mayberry.

[Cassidy]

These kinds of social media posts are utterly childish.

 

They're coming from folks who are suposedly law enforcement professionals, 100% supported by tax dollars.

Memes and efforts to be "hip" online ring as thirsty and lame ... a total waste of time and money.

 

With the entire region well on its way down the toilet from a law enforcement perspective, it's probably time they quit trying to be funny and got busy enforcing existing laws, and developing additional policy that actually reflects the wishes of the folks the live in the region.

[exc911ence]

VicPD

 

Just because the speed limit is 50, doesn't mean you have to drive 50.

 

 

I'll remember this next time I want to drive 60 in a 50 zone. 

[todd]

Oak Bay humour doesn’t always translate well outside of England.

[todd]

Reno or Mayberry.

Don’t get me wrong the Reno Police Department is an excellent police department great cousin was a prosecutor(or similar) down there.

https://youtu.be/Gd6ruQcgu9w

Edited by todd, 18 July 2019 - 02:58 PM.

[todd]

These kinds of social media posts are utterly childish.
 
They're coming from folks who are suposedly law enforcement professionals, 100% supported by tax dollars.
Memes and efforts to be "hip" online ring as thirsty and lame ... a total waste of time and money.
 
With the entire region well on its way down the toilet from a law enforcement perspective, it's probably time they quit trying to be funny and got busy enforcing existing laws, and developing additional policy that actually reflects the wishes of the folks the live in the region.

Had a saltine cracker for lunch?

[Mike K.]

It’s unprofessional.

[todd]

These kinds of social media posts are utterly childish.

They're coming from folks who are suposedly law enforcement professionals, 100% supported by tax dollars.
Memes and efforts to be "hip" online ring as thirsty and lame ... a total waste of time and money.

The youth crowd is also the target market, you have to remember. Back in my day we used to fear(or similar) the oak bay police department.

Edited by todd, 18 July 2019 - 04:00 PM.

[todd]

It’s unprofessional.

Why?

[AllseeingEye]

Makes me sometimes pine for the days - admittedly in the dinosaur age when "te-le-vi-sjun" was the primary medium for mass communication - but it was also the time when cops looked, acted and frankly were attired  oddly enough to look like.....cops. Kids respected the hell out of them and - you bet - we also had a healthy dose of fear of them that wasn't at all a bad thing. When a cop talked, especially to you, you listened. Or else.

 

So why do we insist on making them look like Fedex delivery people today? Are we that soft and gooey as a society that we can't handle the sight of a cop dressed, well....like a cop? Minus BTW the ludicrous forest of tattoos I spotted recently on an on-duty Saanich cop - I thought I'd momentarily been transported to a Cripps meeting in south central LA. The guy was in uniform and both arms from wrist to above the line of his short sleeves were completely covered in tattoos. WTF is that...? 

 

And what happened to the traditional peaked/cop hat? Why did I spot a motorcycle cop not long ago not wearing the leather boots normally worn by motorcycle cops for the last 100 years? Too reminiscent of Nazi jackboots? And therefore likely to offend the sensibilities of some of our more oh-so-sensitive citizens?

 

And why for that mater did I spot the same cop just today adorned with the scruffiest most unprofessional beard I've ever seen, cop or no cop. He'd give Paul Bunyan a run for this money. Or Brent Burns (inside joke for NHL fans...)

 

Back in the Good Old Days (in my grumpiest over 50 old man voice), the only cops who were permitted not to shave were those engaged in undercover activities. Otherwise, short hair ruled, and there were no silly handlebar mustaches or van dyke beards (or beards of any description), or sideburns "down to here". Clean shaven. And professional. I miss those guys......obviously, apparently, time has passed me by and I just don't get it.

 

I am also not on Twitter as I have far more interesting and productive things to do with my time, but reviewing some of the nonsensical fluff posted by cop social media channels above is a bit of a head-shaker. Communicate however you wish particularly to the under-25 set using whatever medium is currently in vogue but keep the messaging crisp, informative, timely, accurate and_always professional. You're cops, not Entertainment TV or the local music TV channel.

 

....oh can somebody please get more VicPD members out of their souped up black muscle cars and more engaged in another classic but effective cop activity from days of yore - namely foot patrols.

Edited by AllseeingEye, 18 July 2019 - 08:36 PM.

[todd]

Wow

[VIResident]

"youth" are not on Twitter, you are and apparently way-over-50's. So.....tweets are geared to your age, badly, but to your age all the same and not youth. 

Edited by VIResident, 19 July 2019 - 05:16 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

If the goal is maximum reach for each message than funny memes meets that goal.