Tuesday, March 07, 2006
THAT MPS GUIDANCE ON BLOGGING IN FULL...
Recently the organisation has become aware of a series of web-logs or blogs where authors - claiming to be police officers - have offered their views on a number of issues in a highly personalised, often controversial manner.
As a result Management Board has issued some general guidance on writing about experiences or giving personal opinions about the MPS via web-logs.
Whilst there is nothing to stop any serving police officer of member of police staff from 'blogging', everyone should ensure they are familiar with the following guidance before taking part in such discussions.
-MPS staff taking part in web-logs should consider the impact of expressing views and opinions that are damaging to the organisation or bring the organisation into disrepute.
-Serving staff should not seek to profit from their experiences of working in the Met and therefore should not accept payment for anything they write or produce.
-The web-log author should make clear that the views expressed are theirs alone and do not represent those of the MPS.
-The contents of any web-log should not divulge information, which could compromise operations, investigations or which breaches the Official Secrets or Data Protection Acts.
-The contents of any web-log should not contain material that is racist, homophobic, sexist defamatory, offensive, illegal or is otherwise inappropriate. If any member of staff is identified as contributing such material to a web-log they may be subject to disciplinary proceedings.
-The author should ensure that any blogging activity does not interfere with work commitments.
Needless to say, this blogger continues to donate all his outside earnings to charity and treats all correspondence in the strictest confidence.
I can't help thinking that by issuing this guidance the Met is trying to wrestle with a problem that simply doesn't exist. For one thing, hardly anyone who calls the police on a regular basis is able to read, so there's no chance of regular customers not dialling 999 because of something they read in a blog.
Secondly, hardly anyone reads blogs, despite what the media says.
Thirdly, most police bloggers could give official police press officers a lesson or two in connecting with the public.
As a result Management Board has issued some general guidance on writing about experiences or giving personal opinions about the MPS via web-logs.
Whilst there is nothing to stop any serving police officer of member of police staff from 'blogging', everyone should ensure they are familiar with the following guidance before taking part in such discussions.
-MPS staff taking part in web-logs should consider the impact of expressing views and opinions that are damaging to the organisation or bring the organisation into disrepute.
-Serving staff should not seek to profit from their experiences of working in the Met and therefore should not accept payment for anything they write or produce.
-The web-log author should make clear that the views expressed are theirs alone and do not represent those of the MPS.
-The contents of any web-log should not divulge information, which could compromise operations, investigations or which breaches the Official Secrets or Data Protection Acts.
-The contents of any web-log should not contain material that is racist, homophobic, sexist defamatory, offensive, illegal or is otherwise inappropriate. If any member of staff is identified as contributing such material to a web-log they may be subject to disciplinary proceedings.
-The author should ensure that any blogging activity does not interfere with work commitments.
Needless to say, this blogger continues to donate all his outside earnings to charity and treats all correspondence in the strictest confidence.
I can't help thinking that by issuing this guidance the Met is trying to wrestle with a problem that simply doesn't exist. For one thing, hardly anyone who calls the police on a regular basis is able to read, so there's no chance of regular customers not dialling 999 because of something they read in a blog.
Secondly, hardly anyone reads blogs, despite what the media says.
Thirdly, most police bloggers could give official police press officers a lesson or two in connecting with the public.
Comments:
"Secondly, hardly anyone reads blogs, despite what the media says."
According to your book, one million people read your blog.
Post a Comment
According to your book, one million people read your blog.
# posted by 
: 3:22 AM, December 31, 2006
: 3:22 AM, December 31, 2006
