NPS urges compliance with social media rules for police officers

The National Police Service (NPS) has urged compliance with the standing orders aimed at regulating social media use among its officers.

According to the directives, officers are prohibited from making official comments on incidents, policies, or procedures without clearance.

The orders specify that "employees must not, in their capacity as national police employees, purport to make any official comment on social media about any incident, police policy, or procedure without prior authorisation and in accordance with the media policy."

Officers are allowed to engage in public debates and express opinions on social, economic, or other issues as private citizens. However, they must avoid any references to their employment with the NPS.

The guidelines state that "members of the Service shall not refer to their position or profession when expressing an opinion or participating in public debate in a private capacity and any comments shall not be seen to represent the National Police Service."

The orders also mandate that officers must avoid posting offensive, racist, tribal, or obscene material. Such actions are considered a breach of the standing orders and are subject to disciplinary procedures.

Officers must also maintain the values and reputation of the NPS both on and off duty. When posting on social media in a personal capacity, officers are required to "clearly state that their views are personal opinions," avoid posting material that could bring the service into disrepute or embarrass the government, and refrain from sharing confidential documents unless they are links or references from official websites.

Additionally, they must avoid commenting on matters likely under investigation, refrain from making offensive comments about the NPS or its members, not disclose unauthorised or confidential materials, and remove any material that could breach the law, seeking advice from a senior officer if uncertain.

To prevent the inadvertent sharing of sensitive information, officers are encouraged to forward content to the media relations officer for assessment and potential posting on official NPS social media accounts.

Social media groups related to the NPS must be registered and managed by known administrators.

Officers are also advised to avoid associations with individuals or groups involved in activities incompatible with the NPS's role. If contacted by the media about social media posts, officers must consult with their superiors and the media relations office before responding.

The use of NPS logos is restricted to official communications and must adhere to the guidelines outlined in the communications and brand manual, as stated in the guidelines.

NPS shall further pursue alternative methods of disseminating information directly to the public, including community newsletters, government-access cable television shows, websites, public appearances by agency members and public area bulletin boards.

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