The Regina Police Service has re-published its Facebook page, after an almost six-month hiatus. Members of the public are invited to view the page at https://www.facebook.com/ReginaPoliceService .
The RPS Facebook page was unpublished on March 25, 2013, after a deluge of posts and comments that were highly inappropriate, profane and, in some cases, threatening. The page is not monitored 24/7. At the time, Chief Troy Hagen said the page would be suspended until changes were made that would allow for better moderation of public comments, using existing, authorized staffing levels.
Even before March 25th, the Regina Police Service was involved in a study of social media use by police services in Canada. After we unpublished the facebook page, we made changes to the administrative permissions and functionality of the RPS facebook page and also made adjustments to the Service’s social media policy. The Regina Police Service has changed its Terms of Use so as to make it clear to visitors to the page that uncivil behaviour and language will not be tolerated. The Terms of Use can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/ReginaPoliceService/app_114412038727436
Perhaps the most important change is that the Service has worked with a company to develop and customize a social media management tool that will help to moderate the site without having to maintain 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week staffing.
“I have said many times, since March 25th, that our facebook page would not be re-published without some improvements,” said Chief Troy Hagen. “We have given it study; we have made adjustments and now it is time to restore what was a valuable way of engaging the Regina community. We encourage people to visit and offer their feedback, but this has to be a safe space. If you cannot abide by our Terms of Use, feel free to express yourself somewhere other than the Regina Police Service Facebook page.”
Although the page has been unpublished for almost six months, the Regina Police Service has continued to maintain a timeline of events and news releases. Members of the public are invited to visit the page at https://www.facebook.com/ReginaPoliceService .