Opinion Article Open Access

Engaging Citizens via Twitter: A Comparative Analysis of Social Media Strategies in Community Policing by Greater Manchester Police and Islamabad Capital Territory Police

Abstract

The widespread acceptance of social media platforms has compelled police departments worldwide to utilize Twitter for community policing. Proponents of this new policing model argue that fostering partnerships between community members and police can strengthen bond between citizens and law enforcement. Community policing necessitates officers to establish direct and close links with public, a task facilitated by Twitter's network-building and one-on-one interaction capabilities. Furthermore, Twitter empowers citizens to voice their opinions on matters of public importance, thereby exercising their democratic rights. Direct communication via Twitter also enables police to consider Citizens feedback when reviewingpolicies,ultimately enhancing their effectiveness.However,the challenge of low online citizen engagement remains. Effective collaboration between citizens and police requires law enforcement agencies to create an environment that encourages increased citizen engagement. This research evaluates the citizen engagement strategies employed by Islamabad Capital Territory Police and the Greater Manchester Police on Twitter. Through a comparative analysis, this study identifies the most commonly used media and content types by both police forces and measures the citizen engagement generated by each. The findings reveal that despite having a larger number of followers and tweets, the citizen engagement generated by GMP on Twitter is relatively low

Muhammad Ali1 *, Mehwish Zia2

To read the full article Download Full Article | Visit Full Article