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Social media network to launch exclusively for law enforcement

Social media network to launch exclusively for law enforcement

Law enforcement personnel are soon to get their own social networking site.

From FOX News:

The final stages are near completion for the launch of a law enforcement social media network designed exclusively for the men and women in blue.

Created by former high-profile New York City police commissioner and Los Angeles Police Chief Bill Bratton, BlueLine is being touted as a site where officers can share their expertise, insight and information securely through video, instant messaging, videoconferencing and screen share capabilities.

The network is scheduled to go live at the International Association of Police Chiefs’ annual conference in Philadelphia in late October, Bratton said.

Regarded as an international expert on reducing crime, combating gang violence and improving police-community relations, Bratton said there’s been a longstanding belief that federal, state and local agencies work closely, especially since the Sept. 11 attacks.

That’s not entirely true, Bratton said, adding that he hopes BlueLine will be another tool to help bridge the gap. Those who join will be accredited members of law enforcement. They also will be able to create databases, have PowerPoint meetings and search for other members via name, topics and interests.

Only accredited members of law enforcement will be able to join the social networking site.  Bratton indicated that it will give officers the opportunity to network with their counterparts in other areas of the country on topics such as gangs and counterterrorism and to share best practices.  But it will have its limits on what can be shared, of course – for instance, it would not allow personnel to share details on specific criminal cases.

The social networking site is currently being beta tested by officers within the Los Angeles Police and LA County Sheriff’s departments, as well as campus police officers with the University of Southern California.

In a public sense, many law enforcement agencies have begun relying more on social media to assist in encouraging crime solving tips, disseminating information and building community relationships.

All of that has its down sides and dangers, of course.  But with budget cuts hitting many departments, many hope such an internal tool might aid them in finding ways to leverage information and resources, and a safe place from which to share it.

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Comments

Pretty sure policeone.com already exists and has for many years. Why reinvent the wheel?

I’m becoming far more untrusting of law enforcement as I get older. Perhaps it’s a growing libertarian impulse.

“Only accredited members of law enforcement will be able to join the social networking site.”

They keep using this word ‘social’. I do not think it means what they think it means.

I’m generally not a fan of anything that reinforces the US vs THEM mentality found in law enforcement.

I wonder what the legal ramifications of content posted on this site will be.

I think some officers may post things on there they will regret thinking they are “among friends” and “private”

This is going to become just another good, easy way to get fired.

Every criminal defense attorney who doesn’t serve this site with a subpoena requiring every post related to his client, and who doesn’t petition the judge in every case to force prosecutors to include any such discussions on this site by LEO of the jurisdiction(s) investigating the case, should be reported to his bar association.

You can also expect that “Blue Line” to hold firm right up until somebody says something that offends someone else’s political sensibilities, or sleeps with someone’s wife, or gets drunk and posts something stupid. Then people will begin to get fired and/or killed.

Since there will be no civilian oversight, this is not a good thing.

The opportunity for abuse is just as great and with more impact than the jounolist was.

This should be condemned and anyone joining should be fired.

southcentralpa | September 4, 2013 at 7:01 am

Yippee, yet another thing to reinforce the “Only Ones” idea.

the praetorian class gets it’s own facebook. Sounds like it will help reinforce our paramilitary police officers “us vs. them” mentality they’ve got going on. The potential for leaks, hacks or subpoenas might make the thing a big liability for our boys in blue.

Bratton is a mostly out of the closet fascist thug, who’s idea of law enforcement is to treat citizens like criminals, kowtow to his political masters, and ignore crime wherever possible. after all, if it isn’t counted, it doesn’t actually occur, right?

calling LAPD to report a crime or a suspicious activity is a waste of time: the dispatch people make it clear that they really don’t believe you, and, if you insist on making the report, simply call you back in a few hours asking if you can still see the activity.

of course, if you are connected, the cops show up ricky tick, but for the average citizen, go whistle. and don’t bother trying to get a CCW to protect yourself: they don;t issue them to anyone without juice.