In this May 8, 2023, photo, A cross with a name Christian LaCour written at the center, stands by others representing each of the victims of a mass shooting at a makeshift memorial in Allen, Texas. There was an active shooter at the Texas mall where she works as an assistant store manager. And she was searching desperately for information, praying.
And that presents a major problem, says Katie Nelson, social media and public relations coordinator for the Mountain View Police Department in northern California. Nelson teaches about crisis management and social media best practices. And these days, she says, when it comes to responding, “The luxury of time does not exist."Police began to harness social media a decade ago, most famously after the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
At nearly 7 p.m., police in Allen said an officer had “neutralized the threat.” That meant he was dead. But the often-used term can be confusing to the public, says Julie Parker, a former broadcast journalist and law enforcement public information officer who now advises government agencies on how to respond to critical incidents.
“You had a little more time to get information out five or six years ago. The expectation wasn’t there that it would be immediate, and I think it is now,” says Sarah Boyd, who is on the executive board of the association’s group on public communication. They note that the flow of information can go both ways, generating tips from the public, who might have cell phone or Ring doorbell video that could help investigators.
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