Social media is about more than connecting with pals and learning tid-bits about other organizations and people–it’s also a tool for private investigators and law enforcement to investigate and solve crimes. Today we’ll look at some recent stats on law enforcement and how they’re using social media.
New York PD Lays Out Rules for Cops Using Social Media
Recently, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly issued a five-page memo outlining guidelines for the NYPD’s rules for using social media in their investigations. For example, offices involved in cases that involve social media may register their social media aliases with the department, than use a department-issued laptop (whose IP cannot be traced) for their social media interactions.
Below are several articles about Raymond Kelly’s social media measures:
Ray Kelly and NYPD: How the NYPD Has Opened the Floodgates for Social Media Spying
NYPD says cops can use social media aliases to investigate
NYPD to boost gang unit over social media violence
Whatever You Say or Show on Social Media Is Public
Some people seem to think that just because they’re on a private account where they monitor who has access means they can post whatever they want. Think again. What if one of those people who’s been granted access goes to the police, or the police go to him/her, and that person provides their login/password to the police to review someone else’s posts/pictures/etc.? That’s exactly what happened Melvin Colon, a suspected New York gang member who who not only posted Facebook photos of himself flashing gang signs, but he also made references to past violent crimes. One of his pals gave police access to Colon’s “private” information, and this past August a federal judge ruled Colon lost all claims to privacy when he shared these photos and stories with his friends.
80 Percent of Law Enforcement Personnel Use Social Media in Their Investigations
Based on data from itworld.com and lexisnexis.com, Background Check created this inforgraphic that shows such information as which social media networks law enforcement accesses most often, for what reasons law enforcement uses social media (#1: identifying people and locations), the percentage of government agencies using social media in their investigations (the top user: 81% of federal agencies), and more.
To read the infographic, courtesy of ConnectedCOPS.net, click here
Private Investigators Use Social Media, Too
Here at Gums, Gams, and Gumshoes, we’ve posted several articles about the use of social media, including some social media resources:
Tracking People: Google, Social Media and Surveillance
Hot Research Sites, Tips from a Lawyer and Support for a Fellow PI
Have a great week, Writing PIs
Related articles
NYPD is monitoring Facebook to fight gang bloodshed (foxnews.com)
Criminal Investigation Stats – Increasing Amounts of Officers are Solving Crimes with Social Media (TrendHunter.com) (trendhunter.com)
Law Enforcement Takes Social Media Seriously (govsellingsolutions.com)
Today through June 4, 2012, 
It’s fairly safe to say that the majority of current-day PIs have basic-to-advanced technological skills. For example many of us rely on our smartphones to do a handful of investigative tasks that used to require a bucket load of equipment. For example, at our agency, we use our smartphones to record and transmit witness interviews, take photos, even scan and transmit documents. Cool stuff.
Colorado, private investigators can legally request any court file except for sexual assault, juvenile and probate. We don’t know the statutes for other states, but it’s possible a PI in another state might have to show his/her license (similar to law enforcement) to access court files containing sensitive information (such as probate, financial statements in divorce cases, proprietary and trade secret information, sexual assault).
Writer’s Question: My character isn’t a PI; she’s an investigative journalist, but I figured she’d use a lot of the same techniques and methods as a PI. Another character in my story, actually the romantic interest of the PI, is a sheriff. Would he, too, use some of the same resources as the PI?
friend — that would work. Or, perhaps she does contact local law enforcement for advice, directions, or to let them know that she’s going to be doing things and visiting places related to the case, but she’s not a kidnapper herself. When we investigate cases in remote regions in Colorado, we always contact local law enforcement first (for their advice, directions, and sometimes just so they know we’re not suspicious characters). But does your fictional PI have to contact law enforcement? No.
Writer’s Question: How would you know if the missing person case you’re working on has crossed paths with the FBI? Would information be closed off to you? Would they pay you a visit in some way?
Guns, Gams & Gumshoes 