Social Media has become potential and dynamic tool to spread and disseminate information, projecting the point of view and communicate the ideas and ideologies. The employability of social media has enhanced manifold as it engenders openness, access, transparency and citizen involvement in different issues relating to policing and governance. Whereas the technology has revolutionized the whole system, therefore, Social media can transform the communication pattern of policing. It can also be helpful in building the waning public trust on police.
Policing in Pakistan is daunting and challenging occupation. Police is required to maintain law and order in society without damaging the right of freedom of expression and movement of citizenry, protect the life and property of citizens and above all fighting against the organized crime and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Social media engenders community engagement. As per recent research, in the beginning of January, 2023, almost 87.35 Million people are internet user in Pakistan and the penetration rate stood at 36.7 percent. As many as 71.70 millions are social media user in Pakistan with the penetration rate of 30.1 percent of total population. Furthermore, 80.5 percent of total population is using mobile phone which means 191.8 million cellular mobile connections are active in Pakistan in the month of January. The figures are promising and mind boggling as well. With the increasing usage of social media, the Police department can be revamped with effective and smart employability of social media.
Social media comprises Face book, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Tiktok, snap chat and instagram etc. According to data compiled in January, 2023, Pakistan has 37.30 Million Face book users, 71.70 million YouTube, 12.95 million Instagram users, 16.51 Million Tiktok users, 9.30 million LinkedIn users, 25.70 Million Snap Chat users and 4.65 million people are using twitter as a tool of communication in Pakistan.
The Police and Public are part of society. The police is for the service of community. Police is suppose to deal with diverse kind of affairs, ranging from detection of crime, apprehension of criminals, traffic management, patrolling in the beat areas, fighting with notorious criminals and hard core terrorists at the same time. Police cannot combat crime without the active support of community. The concept of community policing further enhanced when police engages information technology.
However, police cannot discard the traditional policing altogether, but the usage of modern communication tools marks the time. Undoubtedly, the incumbent command of police force is doing all out efforts to transform the policing mechanism to provide relief to the public. But the fact remains, with all robust endeavours and sacrifices, the image of police is waning and trust of public is declining with the passage of time. We are going through critical time. Violence has become tool to voice the grievances however, actual and perceived. According to the statistics, released in January, 2023, almost 1590 officers and personnel have sacrificed their precious lives in the line of duty to serve and save the public. Lamentably, with all sacrifices, police has badly failed to revamp its image as public servant.
Public is skeptic about the sacrifices of Police. This mistrust and skepticism can be allayed and mollified through the community engagement by using the vast exploitation of all medium of social media. The effective utilization of social media has transformative potential to build the contours of policing. It is undeniable fact that police cannot shy away from the employability of modern medium of communication. Social media is a game changer now. The constabulary of police is most visible character. Social media of Police need to be revamped and according to the emerging demands, it is best tool to better the communication strategies.
Police should establish Information communication and technology center at Hqrs, Regional and District level. The effective, workable and perpetual social media policy constitutes sustainable community engagement, presence on all social media forum, cogent and rational content, skilled and educated Police officers to grasp the situation with true intents and purposes. Running the social media is not an ad-hoc policy.
Dialogue, discourse and discussion with the community, students and intelligentsia and at large people from all walks of life need to be engaged at multiple forums especially on social media platforms. Social media invariably acts as extra channel of communication to engage public and their participation. It is the best instrument to enhance the reputation and accessibility of police to general mass. The fact is that Police usually post crime and incident related information on the social media and resultantly, public remains largely oblivious of the services and sacrifices of Police. Social media has the potential to transform the image of Police. The services and good work of police need to be highlighted.
Notwithstanding, in 2021, standing order regarding Social media policy was issued by then IGP to buttress the electronic, print and social media usage in the police department. According to Social media policy, Punjab Police information Branch (PPIB) was established at Central Police Office (CPO), Lahore. Furthermore, Punjab Police Information Officer (PPIO) of the rank of DIG was nominated for media management. PROs were deputed at Regional and District level with supporting staffs. Director Public Relations (DPR) will liaise with PROs. This social media policy yield not significant result as yet.
Connectivity is the reality of modern time. Public Relation officers should be utilized to organize seminars at colleges and universities to inform, sensitize and mobilize the students and community about the initiatives taken by police for curbing the crime, steps in the domain of Information technology to render services to public and different Apps to apprehend the criminals and safety of women from harassment. They should embark upon research endeavours to grasp the causes of crime, quality contents and carry out memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with different organizations. These steps will extend the outreach of police officers to the community. The purpose of Punjab Public Information Branch (PPIB) should be vast. They should engage poets, drama writers, dramatic societies of colleges/universities, artists, community leaders to write the contents and make public aware about the services and sacrifices of Police.
The message on social media should be clear, focused, candid, concise, lucid and respectful for the public and audience to comprehend without any ambiguity. The content seeding is very important to boost the image and disseminating the narrative of police to widespread audience.
Muhammad Rizwan Bhatti
Ph.D Scholar, Deptt of Political Science, GCUF
Rizwanbh79@gmail.com @rizwanbh79
