An Analysis of Police Department Crisis Communication via Social Media

Abstract

When police use-of-force incidents involving citizens occur, it is necessary to examine the communication post-crisis. Communication via social media is efficient and is considered a necessary tool in contemporary policing. To date, few studies have investigated the use of socially mediated messages in response to use-of-force incidents in local communities. This research examined the social media sites of six police departments in the United States following the death of George Floyd for themes established in crisis communication research. Findings suggest that police departments used social media to convey empathy, commitment to stakeholders, and self-efficacy, with empathy being the theme that was used most frequently. As this is an emerging area of research, directions for future research and policy implementation are discussed.