Many of the best public safety blogs are written by law enforcement, for law enforcement. But in addition to connecting officers across public safety agencies, blogs can also be an effective way for law enforcement to engage with their communities. 
Police departments around the country are using public safety blogs to further their overall community policing strategies, with the ability to quickly disseminate information, offer the public a glimpse into the world of policing and even get a laugh or two.
Here are 7 reasons your agency might want to consider publishing public safety blogs.
Speak Directly to the Public
Even if your agency is holding regular press conferences or issuing press releases, the information presented is being distributed by the news media, whose members decide what part of the conference to broadcast or what facts from the release to include in their stories.
With blogs, you and your officers get to tell your stories directly, without the media middleman.
Control the Message
Speaking directly to the public means your agency gets to decide what information is released when, giving you a chance to get ahead of a story in your own language, in your own way, on your own timeline.
Rather than responding to reporters’ questions, you can set the tone by telling your own story.
Good Stories Get Told, Too
You may have a hard time getting news reporters who are used to covering only the bad news about your agency to be willing to talk about your service projects or community engagement activities.
With a blog, your public information officer or community policing team can cover your positive stories themselves using the same storytelling methods as reporters, including video, audio and interviews.
Educate the Public About Policing
Blogs written by police officers on the beat or police chiefs offer a chance to teach both the public and prospective officers about what policing entails. You can discuss your crime prevention strategies and how well they’re working, for instance.
More Robust Than Social Media, Less Formal Than a News Release
Public safety blogs can and should be part of an overall public-centered communications strategy that includes social media and news releases. But sometimes a story or piece of information is better suited to something in between – it doesn’t require the immediacy of social media and doesn’t rise to the level of a release.
Lighter Side of Policing
Blogs also offer your agency an opportunity to show that while you take safety seriously, you know the value of humor in connecting with your community. The Seattle Police Department has been particularly effective at infusing both its social media accounts and blog with a wry sense of humor.
Interspersed with reports about important policing activities and news, here’s a sampling of chuckle-inducing headlines from Seattle’s police department blog:
- Burglar Discovers Officers Actually Pretty Good at Hide-n-Seek
- Man Works Up Deep Down Body Thirst Breaking Window, Gets Arrested
- Car Thief Foiled By Police, Nap, Power Door Locks
Share Statistics in Real Time
Today’s data-hungry consumers will be eager to follow along as you track crime trends and patterns, particularly as they relate to individual neighborhoods. With a blog, your agency can share not only the stats but expert analysis and crime-fighting strategies, as well.
