Join Professor Lori Brainard and her research assistant Andrew Beauregard for this exciting public lecture on how municipal police departments use social media.  Prof. Brainard is a Faculty Fellow with the University Honors Program this year, and she’s excited to share her work with you!  This event is open to the public, so bring a friend! Sign up now!
 

Social Media and Municipal Police Departments: Current Use and Future Prospects

As public officials and scholars alike concern themselves with declines in civic engagement and a  weakening of the public sphere, new technologies– in particular social media– have arisen. Some see these new technologies as providing opportunities for and forums within which enhanced government-citizen interaction and even collaboration.  I investigate this prospect by looking at social media use among municipal police departments.  I ask: Which social media platforms do police departments use? Do police departments use them for information and announcements or for interaction? Where interaction is taking place, is it transactional or collaborative.

I, accompanied by 2nd year Honors student and Research Assistant Andrew Beauregard, will discuss the results of a pilot study of 10 police departments and results to date of a larger study of 25 police departments.  Andrew will discuss his experience collecting and working with data.