Warwickshire Police SNT Kenilworth are now on Twitter - Welcome them, FOLLOW them and make it a Success

@SNT_Kenilworth on Twitter

A fantastic new twitter account has opened @SNT_Kenilworth from the Warwickshire Police Safer Neighbourhoods Team in Kenilworth.

I don't need to tell you this is the first account of it's kind for Warwickshire Police - but I will anyway. My suggestion is FOLLOW this account to make Social Media a success in Kenilworth. If you're not on twitter, open an account today (Help is at hand).

Part of the reason I was at the Godiva Festival 2011 was to experience the use of Social Media by the Festival Organisers (Coventry City Council), West Midlands Police and the Public. I am then better placed to assist anyone in Warwickshire, especially the Council, the Police and even the Press. For example, the Bulldog Bash @BulldogBash is on 11-14 August 2011 which could be a future project.

Bottom line, this new twitter account is not a novelty or a gimmick. It's a way for the Police to engage with the community in Kenilworth. I am quite confident it will be a great success and I feel privileged that Warwickshire Police should choose Kenilworth for this trial (they did have 32 other teams to choose from). Link: KENILWORTH SNT Website

The Warwickshire Police Twitter Project has now ended - Many Thanks for all those who took part

After a dozen lengthy posts, many emails and a few face to face meetings, the Warwickshire Police Twitter Project #WPTP has now ended (as of today). I would like to thank all those kind readers and those brilliant people (who I cannot name) who have tried their best to encourage Warwickshire Police to use Twitter. This is not a post to analyse the project's success or failures, rather just a statement to say, I will not be posting about Warwickshire Police and Twitter again.

Warwickshire Deputy Chief Constable Andy Parker Joins Twitter

@ajwp11 Twitter Profile

On 26 May 2011, DCC Andy Parker of Warwickshire Police joined Twitter as @ajwp11. Please follow Andy Parker and hear what he has to say. He's made 15 tweets, has 43 followers and is following 29 other users.

So far, Andy Parker has admitted to sitting with a cup of tea while giving twitter a go, learning how to use a new ipad, spending a day learning about beekeeping and believing in hope - he supports Burnley (and holds season tickets). Tweets have also mentioned policing such as Birmingham Pride, the Drink and Drug Driving Campaign and a trip to the Home Office in London. 

How I use Twitter and How to Get Started for those who don't

@wiKenilworth on an ipod

I've been asked to run some training sessions on Twitter, so an easy way to start, is tell you how I use it and and how you can get started if you don't. If you use Twitter already - great, pitch in and add a comment to this post.

I joined Twitter as @wiKenilworth on 3 December 2010, 167 days ago. Since then, I've made 1,370 tweets, follow 163 others and have 252 followers - so, that's about eight tweets a day.

I am the Chief Constable and if you want to go on Twitter - go on Twitter

DCC Gordon Scobbie in Chicago

We all know the Warwickshire Police Chief Constable has not said that (yet), but if it was good enough for the Prime Minister to tell the public to ignore council pen-pushers and go ahead and hold a Royal Wedding Street Party, then I am sure the same applies for a Chief Constable and Social Media.

In a week that has seen me organise Police Blogs for Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde in Cumbria, Chief Inspector Kerry Blakeman in Coventry and Inspector Keith Portman in Meriden, I am all out of arguments for Warwickshire. 

NPIA Social Media Assistance

Perhaps I can let ACPO lead Gordon Scobbie and his team talk for me in their publication Engage: Digital and Social Media Engagement for the Police Service. These twenty two pages are packed with great advice and case studies. 

I am delighted to announce that the West Midlands Police Twitcam we made on 22 March 2011 is now popular with Law Enforcement in the USA thanks to Lauri Stevens (@lawscomm). This has not come at a better time as the Social Media in Law Enforcement Conference 2011 in Chicago kicks off on Monday 9 May 2011.

On that same day (9 May 2011), Warwickshire will introduce a New Policing Model. There is no mention of Social Media, Twitter or any digital technologies in the press release statement. It is said how officers will be visible and based within the community they serve (more on that later).

I have finally received an email from Oliver Winters, Chief Executive of the Warwickshire Police Authority who tells me, 'The Police Authority and Police Force are two separate entities...so issues regarding how the SNTs carry out operational activities is a matter for the Police Force rather than the Police Authority. While I know that the Police Force are aware of your communications it is for them decide how and when to respond.'

So, my next step is to contact Warwickshire Police (again), but this time asking for a statement from Neil Brunton, Assistant Chief Constable, or Operations Directorate and Superintendent Martin McNevin. Unless of course, those immortal words, I am the Chief Constable and if you want to go on Twitter - go on Twitter are whispered from the top. 

West Midlands Police Twitter Accounts - The Coventry Charts

WMP in Coventry on Twitter

If Warwickshire Police are to explode into the Twitter market, it's worth taking a look at the evidence from West Midlands Police (in Coventry). From their Social Network Links page, they list 23 twitter accounts (I know there are many more). 

On the left, we have the main five accounts. Inspector Alastair Orencas (@coventry_police) has been on twitter for 793 days, has made 1,627 tweets (average 2 a day) and has 1,054 followers. He is the pioneer.

What emerges is the need for Social Media like Twitter. Of the 23 accounts, they have an average of 236 followers. WMP Coventry have made 4,327 tweets. I prefer to use the term FMCC - a Fast Message to Contact their Community.

Each account has been open on average for 357 days. If Coventry has a population of 309,800, just imagine what Warwickshire can do with it's population of 535,100. One estimate could be (in a year from now), 40 twitter accounts, making 7,474 tweets (FMCC) and 9,384 followers. Come on Warwickshire.

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To the Warwickshire Police Authority - Please Join the Conversation

Open letter to the Warwickshire Police Authority... I’ve made some posts at www.whatsinKenilworth.com about the new Warwickshire Police Twitter Project #WPTP. 

With the WPA’s agreement, the project could progress at a very fast rate (and already has national interest).

Please accept this letter as an invitation join the conversation and I look forward to hearing from you. I will be contacting all the WPA twitter accounts as this will be a very fast way to spread the word.

To find out more read (in date order) see:

Warwickshire Police Authority Meeting (Fri 22 April 2011) 

Warwickshire Police Twitter Project (Sat 23 April)

Response to the Warwickshire Police Social Media Channels (Sun 24 April) 

All posts with label #WPTP refer to the Twitter hashtag Warwickshire Police Twitter Project

Kind Regards,  Mike Downes or Twitter @wiKenilworth

Insightful Twitter use from West Midlands Police - All in a day's work..

Kerry Blakeman is on the right

Kerry Blakeman is the Chief Inspector of West Midlands Police responsible for 18 dedicated neighbourhood teams and five response teams at the Coventry (LPU).

Tweets from Kerry show a diverse range. They show how influential a Chief Inspector can be with twitter.

Kerry's already a contributor to whatsiKenilworth where WM Police have been using Twitcam to engage with communities as well as Audioboo and the BBC. 

A great example of Kerry reaching parts that other tweeters cannot reach is this: @WMP_Helicopter if any of you guys have a smart phone any chance of pics from the sky? But not from the pilot! (24 April, 6.31pm). 

A few hours later from the clouds: Front seat observer: A number of responsibilities including navigation and camera operation. http://twitpic.com/4p2qah (24 April, 9.06pm).

Then: @WMP_Helicopter superb pic - great to see, I look forward to seeing some scenic views of the West Midlands from the air also (9.13pm). This was also linked with Wolverhampton from the air.

A Chief Inspector can tweet about well deserved news as well: Len Dacombe who served in the Blitz as a Special receives a certificate from the Chief Constable. I'm on the right http://twitpic.com/36tngq (see photo top left) (14 Nov, 2.24pm).

Community engagement is excellent to see with tweets like this: Thank you to the #Sikh community of #Coventry for a cheque 4 £501 for the special constabulary memorial stone http://twitpic.com/4ov05c (24 April, 10.55pm)

And the magnificent simplicity of Kerry's tweets is how often you see what Kerry sees:  Parade now at Broad St, Pacing ourselves #samosaoverload http://twitpic.com/4ovxof (24 April, 12.23pm).

Kerry Blakeman as @kerryblakeman joined Twitter on 24 October 2009, has made 475 teets, follows 335 and has 544 followers. Great work - keep it up.

Response to the Warwickshire Police Social Media Channels statement

Smithy's Twitter Profile

There seems to be a storm brewing and by choice I am  in the middle of it. I've been asked to respond to a statement made by Carl Baldacchino (see name spelling note at base) (on 31 March 2011 at the WPA website).

When I first read it, I had to read the date for a second time. It must be a year old - but this statement was written 24 days ago! 'We have chosen not to use Twitter on a regular basis...we have to prioritise communications to ensure it fits with our force priorities.'

When I attended the Police Authority meeting four days ago (Carl Baldacchino was also there), I listened as members spoke of the need for communication to be at the top of the list. The more I read the answer by Carl, the more I believe it is two years out of date. This comes at a time when Police are investing in People not Buildings - you do not need to be at a Police Authority meeting to know that. It's common knowledge across all areas of the County Council.

My suggestion is there are some Control and Trust issues at work here. The more you try to control people - the less you trust them. The solution is for someone, very quickly, is to announce an open season on Twitter. With only one rule - talk to the public on Twitter as you would normally talk to the public in the street. That's it (I wish I was the first to say that - but I'm not).

Whether this statement can come swiftly from the Chair of the Warwickshire Police Authority or from the Chief Constable it does not matter (to the public). What matters, is the public should feel their police force and visible, engaged and each officer is contactable by the fastest and most up to date method available.

It's like Warwickshire Police saying they will only use the letters in the post when the telephone has already been invented. If you think this is not true - try using twitter to get a hold of MPs on trains, the BBC at midnight and County Councillors at 3am. It all works and is lightening quick - I know as I've done it and it works. If anyone needs a demonstration, just ask.

Please accept this post as an open invitation for Carl Baldacchino to open a personal Twitter account and join in the conversation. For those of you who are reading this late, it's Easter Sunday, the shops are shut, few people are at work - but the rage of twitter activity carries on.

Even a West Midlands Police Dog called Smithy has a twitter account - and he has 1,996 followers. Come on Warwickshire - this is a great County.

The WPA Question and Answer reads:

Warwickshire Police Social Media Channels - Question asked on 31 March, 2011:

Why does your Police Force not appear to be represented using Social Media? The Warwickshire Police Authority is but the Police Force appears not to be.

Response(s) from the Police Authority:

Warwickshire Police does have a facebook page, through which we communicate information about our activities, including appeals and campaigns. We do also use viral marketing for specific campaigns. We have chosen not to use Twitter on a regular basis at the current time, but do employ it in relation to specific events or operations. We have to prioritise our communications activity to ensure that it does most to address our force priorities and contribute to protecting people from harm. We have shifted our operations significantly towards social media and away from 'traditional' marketing activity during the past twelve months.  

Carl Baldachinno Head of Corporate Communications - Warwickshire Police

Name Spelling Update (7.51am 25 April 2011): It seems there are spellings Carl Baldacchino and Carl Baldachinno from police web pages and the internet. I assume each spelling refers to the same person. Carl himself wrote his name as Baldacchino in my notebook, but I include both versions in this article to avoid wider confusion. 

Fantastic Story Telling by Coventry Fire Service - all by Twitter

Photos by Simon Shilton

Simon Shilton is the Coventry Fire Command Operations Commander. So how does he use Twitter? Brilliantly - that's how. What makes the tweets of Simon Shilton interesting are the three layers of story telling. Whether this is by clever design or just a natural gift I cannot say (I will find out though). 

In my view, the three layers consist of the professional (official), professional (unofficial) and private (but shared). From these elements, we have a whole picture of a Fire Commander - all by twitter.

The photo above was taken to accompany this tweet: Kingswinford fire ongoing. I've now left the scene, down to 8 engines. Hard working firefighters grab a break http://t.co/0TcGPU (24 April, 3.26am). 

Before that: Looks like we'll be in attendance for some time a whole load of rubbish http://t.co/AKosH2 (23 April, 9.56pm). 

The first tweet: Just in attendance at a 10 pump fire in Kingswinford (23 April, 9.27am).

For a professional, but unofficial example form Simon, try this: The modern fire service, what ever happened when we didn't have mobile email? Any spare minute, it's an addiction http://t.co/DPaEV (1 April 12.30pm). 

I have no idea what makes a great tweet, but one quality may be making something quite ordinary seem timeless and yet comment on the changing world around us.

Here is the last element, private but shared: After a 72 hour on call shift I'm spending my day relaxing, me, myself and I. #peaceandquiet http://t.co/dzJeru (14 March, 9.30am)

Simon's first ever tweet was: Just joined up! wanted to see what all the fuss is about! not a clue what I'm doing :) (22 Nov 2010, 8.36pm). Simon Shilton as @spshilton has made 1,481 tweets, follows 131 and has 140 followers. Great work - keep it up. 

By contrast, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue have one Twitter account  @WarksFireRescue which is from the service not individual officers. I will search for others. 

Warwickshire Police Twitter Project - Launches Today #WPTP

Send this Tweet #WPTP

The new Warwickshire Policing Model comes into operation on Monday 9 May 2011. There will be 33 Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) throughout Warwickshire - not one of them has a Twitter Account to embrace a community.

There are over 1,000 Warwickshire Police Officers and PCSOs - not one of them has an Twitter Account. If there are any - I cannot find them. I've been looking for the last four months. 

From today, whatsinKenilworth are launching the Warwickshire Police Twitter Project #WPTP. The Warwickshire Police Authority have a section on their website called Community Engagement which states,

'The Police Authority has a duty to consult the public. Moreover, we are committed to listening to your views so we know how you feel about policing in your area. To this end, we have placed community engagement at the heart of what we do: recognising that more engaged policing is more effective policing...If you choose to talk to us, you are having your say on the future of Warwickshire Police. In addition, you can contribute through surveys, forums, events and conferences as well as through direct contact by phone, e-mail and post.'

Sir Robert Peel

This does not say anything about Social Media and especially Twitter. Community Forums are held four times a year, so once every three months is grossly inadequate (and poorly attended). The WPA also quote Sir Robert Peel,

'Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent upon every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.”

In 1827, when Sir Robert Peel said that, he didn't mention Social Media either - had he known about Twitter, I am sure he would have included it in his statement. I like to think the chain from his waistcoat is attached to a Blackberry or an early iPhone.

What you can do? There are 535,100 people living in Warwickshire. The first step is to send a tweet to @WarwickshirePA or @warkspolice to be heard:

@WarwickshirePA I would like to see my Community Police SNT Officer/PCSO on Twitter ASAP ...Warwickshire Police Twitter Project #WPTP

@warkspolice I would like to see my Community Police SNT Officer/PCSO on Twitter ASAP from the Warwickshire Police Twitter Project #WPTP 

And I will do the rest by contacting all 33 safer Neighbourhood teams and seeing who is first Officer or PCSO to join this project. I understand NO ONE wants to be the first person from Warwickshire Police actively using Twitter to Tweet From The Beat.

West Midlands Police neighbour Warwickshire and have over 200 Twitter Accounts. The next post in this project will feature some key West Midlands Police twitter accounts, explaining how they are used in the community they serve.

My theory is - if the people ask, the authority will listen and provide. The cost for this service is zero - computers and smart phones are everywhere. The tipping point is attitude not resource.

Extract of an email sent to some Police Partner Organisations:

I am very keen to open a conversation with you Re: Warwickshire Police and the use of Social Media. As hyperlocal digital media, we have been working with West Midlands Police with Twitter and Twitcam (real time video). 

However, NO ONE from Warwickshire Police is using this Twitter or any (as yet). There are twitter accounts, but only generic forms like @warkspolice and @WarwickshirePA.

From attending the Police Authority meeting at Shire Hall yesterday, we understand there no plans are for any more social media use. This comes at a time when there are cuts and some safer neighbourhood team offices have yet to be decided.

In my view, there has not been a better time for officers and PCSOs to open a twitter account and embrace their community. To prove this, I intent to invite the public to make their voices heard on how they choose to communicate with their Police Force. Community Forums that are held every three months and inadequate in this digital age.

Finally, we understand there are officers in Warwickshire that do want to engage but NO ONE wants to be the first to 'put their head above the parapet.' We can offer our assistance to help in any way I can. Kind Regards, Mike Downes www.whatsinKenilworth.com 

Warwickshire Police Authority Meeting - Public Welcomed but None Attended

WPA Agenda Document

Warwickshire Police (along with other forces) are always in the news so when I read a Twitter message, Full Police Authority meeting 9.30 am tomorrow at Shire Hall, Warwick. Members of the public welcome - I wanted to find out more.

The meeting is not listed at the usual WCC calendar, rather it's at the Warwickshire Police Authority website. That's understandable, but if something is public - then it's public isn't it? All I know is, it's happened many times before when public meetings are held and no public turn up. Hopefully, a post like this may just awaken the curiosity of the people who like me, want to find out more.

The Tweet

In this electronic age, a meeting agenda is freely available on the web for most meetings well in advance of the agreed date and time in person. This allows everyone to read, digest and prepare questions. However, an observer cannot ask questions in the meeting - just listen along and take some notes.

The Warwickshire Police Authority Agenda document (that you can see above) is 52 sheets of paper. Part of the meeting is exempt which excludes members of the public, page 2). In this one, there are twenty sections. As is usual in posts like this, I will give a narrative and you can read the documents yourself - just click the links.

Shire Hall Committee Room 2

So, the meeting started promptly at 9.30am on Wednesday 20 April 2011. Of the 37 people in Committee Room 2, Shire Hall, Warwick were members of the Warwickshire Police Authority, Warwickshire Police, Warwickshire County Councillors, one reporter from a local radio station, Mike Downes from whatsinKenilworth.com and that's it - not one member of the public. Would the public find this room intimidating? Possibly, yes they would. Is that a reason for no public attendance? No, not in my view. My advice, it takes a minute or two to be settled and comfortable - please attend and see for yourself.

After the announcements, apologies, declarations and minutes of the previous meeting come the reports. The new Neighbourhood Policing Model which will come into operation on Monday 9 May 2011was first on the list. This will see the network of 33 Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT) and a Neighbourhood Protection Team (NPT). Each SNT will have a Beat Manager (Police Constable), Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), Special Constables and Volunteers.

Of the fourteen SNT office locations, six have still to be decided. It was suggested that Retained Fire Stations may provide an office in some cases (It has now been confirmed that Kenilworth SNT will be based temporally at Leek Wootton before moving back to the new Kenilworth Public Service Centre in July 2011).

The next report addressed Police Community Support Officers. PCSO numbers will be reduced from 135 to 121 from 9 May 2011. There are 24 current powers, 21 discretionary powers and 21 offences for which PCSOs may issue penalty notices for. I am not reproducing them all here, just open the link. A question was raised asking whether these powers are sufficient. Chief Constable Keith Bristow made it very clear that the more powers a PCSO has would be proportionate to the number of PCs there are. In other words, more PCSO powers equals less police officers and less PCSO powers equal more officers (all to do with funding).

WPA Our People - Staff Figures

The WPA Policing Plan 2011/14 is in the first draft (39 page document) and with final draft presented on 25 May. WCC will continue with quarterly Community Forums for each SNT. I will be posting much more about Community Engagement over the next few weeks.  The table on the right shows a total of 2,080 staff (924 officers, 136 PCSOs, 779 staff and 241 volunteers within Warwickshire Police.

A General Report of the Chief Constable was the last public item on the agenda which commented on the success of the Royal Visit, awards, governance, voluntary redundancy (offered to all police staff). WPA has to reduce it's spending by £22.9m by 31 March 2015. This meant the Chief Constable has agreed the implementation of Regulation A19 (page 5). The next scheduled meeting of WPA is Wednesday 28 May 2011 at 9.30am which will be the Authorities AGM.

It is not until you have sit in a room for two hours like this until you get an idea of who the Warwickshire Police Authority or Warwickshire County Councillors actually are. Without being there, it's impossible to see how the Warwickshire Police Senior Officers act (they well spoken, polite and approachable by the way). I would recommend attending a meeting like this - even if only once. As always, this post is open to comments.

A Twitcam from @kerryblakeman Police @spshilton Fire

One day, hopefully very soon, Warwickshire Police will open a Twitter account and produce a Twitcam. Until then, see how the West Midlands Police and Fire are leading the field to engage with their local community. What's in Kenilworth have a YouTube channel.

Twitcam - The New Way to Embrace a Community

Screen Shot from a broadcast

Over the last few weeks, I have been getting involved in Twitcam (which is linked to Twitter). For those who do not know, it works like this. Logon to Twitter, Logon to Twitcam, start broadcasting live video, Tweet the link and that's it. Viewers (who are logged into Twitter), can post real time questions (or comments) and have them answered (or influence) the broadcast. So who has used it? Here's the list so far in date order:

@Coventry_Police (Insp Alastair Orencas) Two Twitcam Broadcasts (one archived).

@kerryblakeman (CI Kerry Blakeman) Two Twitcam Broadcasts (one archived with Simon Shilton Operations Commander West Midlands Fire Service).  @ErdingtonLDG (Police, Fire and many other groups)  Two Twitcam Broadcasts (@wills_5590 and  @Neil_Grif WMFS Both Archived ). 

The next Twitcam (from Police and Fire) will be on 22 March with @kerryblakeman and @spshilton. However, there are plans for a special Twitcam from Warwick Library on 17 March 2011 with @808Kate, @Kaz_Ram and @wiKenilworth when the next Warwickshire SMS takes place.  This is an event when anyone can learn how to improve their social media, blogging or web skills (for free) - why not come along?

Lastly, we look forward to some Twitcams in the very near future from @InspWestMidsPol, @DIWestMidsPol and @CIPayneWMPolice