Discussion: Police Communications Styles of Policing

Hi Class! 

For this assignment, I chose the immediate notification as a form of police communication to focus on. An immediate notification is a form of communication utilized by law enforcement departments or agencies that allow them to quickly release a statement and share information on an event that occurred very recently. They are used when the information pertains to the community and/or the safety of those in the surrounding community. An example of this is an Amber Alert, or the siren system to alert to a tornado, tsunami, etc. 

A benefit of this form of communication is that it keeps the public informed and opens a line of communication if anyone in the community has information that would benefit the department or its investigation. It is quick and often sent as a mass-announcement, which allows the public to be informed immediately while still being kept on the same page as their fellow citizens. It can provide information about what steps to take to avoid potentially worsening the situation or or how to take appropriate action in time. 

A downside or drawback to this form of communication, though, is that it’s not often heavily detailed and can easily cause panic or discourse. Though immediate notification is certainly a useful communication type when faced with an emergency, it should be used sparingly to avoid undesirable or drastic responses.