Almost half of Tayside police officers handed pricey smartphones for social networking have failed to send a single tweet.
The force equipped 80 community police officers with HTC handsets so that they can post messages on Facebook and Twitter using a new application created for Tayside Police.
One Dundee-based officer took to his phone to post ”mmmm doughnuts”, while another who admitted to recently returning to work after a few days off complained ”I need a break”.
The Courier understands that some officers have been given Twitter training classes at Tayside Police HQ. However, 31 community police officers have yet to use the service, despite the force trumpeting the launch of real-time accounts recently.
Speaking after news of the Tayside Police smartphone application was released in August, head of digital media and communications Sarah Craig talked up Twitter, saying it is ”essential” that police ”keep pace with developing technology and embrace these tools”.
The chief constable appears to have taken that advice, having Tweeted 381 times, however the assistant chief constable hasn’t used the site since January 20.
Deputy Chief Constable Gordon Scobbie, the UK police lead for social media, is the most prolific Tweeter, having sent 5,427 messages of 140 characters or less.
Meanwhile, community police officers who regularly use Twitter have posted insights into their working life.
PC Jim Mitchell, whose beat is Perth Road, wrote: ”mmmm doughnuts”, while Stobswell West PC Dave Gallacher said: ”First day after leave. Ploughed through the usual pile of emails, now hoping to get up to speed with repeat callers. I need a break!”
A spokeswoman for Tayside Police said: ”The reason for issuing smart phones to community officers is so that they can fully utilise the Tayside Police app that will be available for download from Apple’s App Store in the next few weeks.
”Those who download the app will be able to follow their dedicated community police officer. Not only will this allow them to see the type of incidents that officer is dealing with but also, through a geolocation setting, what areas in the community the officer has been active in.
”They can then interact directly with their community police officer using the app and ask localised questions about policing in their area.”
Taxpayers’ Alliance campaign manager Robert Oxley has criticised the initiative.
He said: ”Taxpayers want bobbies paying attention to the beat, not coming up with something to tweet. Smartphones can assist officers in their duties, and the police should not ignore social media, but it seems a waste of time trying to get so many tweeting.”
However, the force spokeswoman said Tayside Police ”make no apologies for embracing digital technology and social media platforms”.
”Our experience of these platforms has been hugely positive, with thousands of people choosing to engage with us using these tools,” she added. ”Our corporate Facebook page now has over 24,000 local followers and our corporate Twitter account has over 6000 followers. Both platforms are used to engage, provide updates on incidents and operations, make appeals for assistance, and to seek help tracing missing people.
”In addition to the corporate Twitter account, we have 90 police officers and police staff with Twitter accounts with a combined following of 167,000 and the creation of our bespoke mobile police app, due to be launched in the next few weeks, is a natural progression of our digital journey.”
Ms Craig also defended the project.
”We have issued HTC smartphones to 80 community police officers across Tayside,” she said. ”The devices were given to us at no cost by our mobile provider as part of a pilot we are running here in Tayside.
She added: ”Every community officer received a one hour input on social media as part of their annual training course that covers a host of different policing inputs.”