Councillor interested in how police respond to negative social media
A Saskatoon councillor recently sought information on what happens when the Saskatoon Police Service receives negative feedback on social media and he’s interested in learning more about the how the concerns are handled in the future.
At a board of police commissioners meeting in September, Ward 1 Coun. Darren Hill inquired about the process in which negative feedback or concerns are handled.
Although he’s pleased with the Saskatoon police’s current response to investigate concerns brought forward through social media, the service’s communications department and by email on a case-by-case basis, he may be asking for more information on concerns that have been investigated once the expansion of the board and the hiring of the service’s new police chief — both set for early 2018 — is complete.
Currently, the board of police commissioners reviews “social media salutes” where the service is complimented by the public, but Hill said the board doesn’t have an opportunity to review negative feedback.
“It might be a conversation for the new commission to consider when we populate with the two new commissioners in January,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to see them at every board meeting — I think that creates a burden on the administration to compile that report and that data — but maybe a twice-a-year report on some of the ones that ... they had seen a need to followup on.”
Saskatoon police spokeswoman Kelsie Fraser said the service tries to be as “accommodating as we can” when it comes to addressing complaints raised over social media, with concerns getting forwarded to the service’s professional standards division as necessary, noting the social media salutes were originally complied as a way to show officers within the service that people appreciate the work they do.
While no formal request has been made, Fraser said if the request was tabled by the board, the police service would do its best to bring that forward. She said social media is seen as valuable tool for the SPS, as it allows people to bring forward questions and comments — negative, positive or neutral — to police.
“Social media allows this dynamic for them to ask questions without having to come in to the police station or stopping an officer on the street,” she said.
“It’s a very positive thing for our services. Certainly, there can be instances of negative comments, but we embrace those just like we would for anything else, because that’s how we communicate with our community and continue to serve them.”