The video of the police shooting in North Charleston, S.C., demonstrates the importance of video in policing. One wonders how the Ferguson, Mo., story would have been different if someone had been there to video the altercation between the officer and the victim. It would have made clear that the early social media claims of hands up and shooting in the back were in error.
With lots of concern and controversy about body cams, it seems inevitable that they will come. Evidence from their limited use already indicates that it has an impact on reducing incidents of police over-response as well as reducing citizen complaints.
Video is increasingly ubiquitous. That seems certain to increase as the posts on Meerkat and Periscope suggest. Now we have this announcement from one of the largest producers of hobby and semi-commercial drones: DJI is equipping its Phantom 3 drone with live streaming capability. The FAA may do what it wants, but the reality of live streaming from ground level and above is with us now and will become a much greater part of our everyday lives.
Let me ask a few questions as you think about what you and your organization need to do about this:
- Do you have a drone or access to a drone so you can be the one to tell the story or correct the incorrect versions that are all but certain to be broadcast?
- Do you have a plan in place to monitor Meerkat and Periscope along with the other social media channels using video and images such as Instagram, Vine and YouTube?
- Does your rumor management plan include how you will respond to live video or uploaded videos that are bogus? (It's very easy to show video from another scene or event and say that it is coming from the one in question -- just look at the false Sandy pictures.)
- Are you prepared, as Fairfax County, Va., is, to take advantage of these new tools to tell your story (see previous blog post)?
- Are you discussing in your leadership group the impact of video on what you do, using examples of this police shooting video?
- Do you have a plan in place for how video, from others and your own agency, will be used to help with situation awareness?
- Does your agency have access to and use video editing and production tools such as Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro X or even iMovie?
- Do you have team members qualified to effectively use these tools or arrangements with contractors to assist you on a 24/7 basis?Does your agency have a YouTube channel with established subscribers?
