The proliferation of social media platforms must be seen as an advantage when it comes to crime prevention, says GM of ADT Inland Region, Theunis Kotze. Their value, however, rests with the members of the group and the quality of information shared.
“We’re living in an age in which ordinary citizens are invited to be active participants in the fight against crime. Knowledge is power when it comes to crime prevention and successes hinge on the sharing of intelligence, so harnessing the power of social media is imperative.
“These platforms are, however, not without their challenges,” Kotze adds. “The most common being the posting of unverified information (mostly 'urban legends') which spread like wild fire and often create unwarranted panic. Another challenge is that these groups can easily turn into general chat forums, which is a hindrance to the purpose of the group.”
Not only do members become annoyed by a constant flow of irrelevant chatter, many actually leave the group as a result of this. There is also the potential for those responsible for crime prevention to miss important information in and among reams of immaterial messages.
In ADT’s experience, many people are hesitant to participate on crime prevention groups for fear of their personal details being visible. However, in communities with a strong residents’ association, Neighbourhood Watch or CPF, such communication platforms are yielding very positive results.
“I believe the biggest benefit is that personal security and related issues are kept top of mind. Successes are also shared and this fosters goodwill between communities and those who are there to protect them,” Kotze says.
ADT’s don’ts in the (social media) fight against crime:
• Don’t post any personal information.
• Don’t post irrelevant information (advertising, lost pets, road blocks, speed traps or any council issues).
• Don’t post ‘confirmed’ or ‘thanks’ or ‘received’ once you’ve read a message.
• Don’t post unverified information. Crime warnings or tip-offs received from other sources must be sent to the group administrator for verification.
• Don’t engage in argumentative comments or use foul language on the group.
• Don’t try to be a hero. Members of the public should never get involved in a potentially dangerous situation. Contact the SAPS or your security company to investigate should you see anything suspicious.
“Social media definitely has a role to play and it’s important that the community actively participates in crime prevention. However, in order to get the results we strive for, members of such groups need to be responsible and respectful at all times. There are ramifications for members who consistently disobey the rules and these could even be legal depending on the seriousness of the case,” Kotze concludes.
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