Police Department Names Shea New Spokesman

Plans To Use Social Media To Inform Citizens

MANCHESTER — Sgt. Ryan Shea has been named the Manchester Police Department's new public information officer, replacing longtime spokesman Capt. Christopher Davis.

Shea, 33, who joined the department in 2007, said part of his motivation for taking the job was the opportunity to use social media to inform citizens. He has experience and interest in computer technology and is currently pursuing a master's degree in investigations, with a concentration in digital forensics, at the University of New Haven.

Davis is leaving at the end of the week to take a deputy chief's job in East Hartford.

In announcing Shea's appointment, Interim Police Chief William Darby also identified a department Twitter account —@Manchester_PD— and an update of the department's Facebook page — https://bit.ly/2NTxhOr.

Shea, a Willimantic native, has a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Connecticut. A married father of two young children, he has served in the Patrol Division, on the regional SWAT team, as a field training officer and supervisor, and most recently as head of the detective bureau's child investigations unit.

Shea said that due to changes in the department's records management system, monthly community meetings that Davis started will “tentatively continue” in November, and that a “definite date will be announced soon.” The meetings included reviews of crime in town.

Davis has said the sessions were meant to review significant incidents and trends, forge stronger connections with the community and counter misinformation spread on social media, particularly Facebook.

Social media, Davis said in an earlier interview, has proven to be a useful platform to distribute information on local crime, including wanted suspects and emergencies that require street closures, lock-downs and evacuations.

But posts and discussions on community pages can go astray.

“People get caught up in a lot of misinformation and speculation, and I don't have time to go through and correct everything,” Davis had said. “You can't compete with the internet.”