Case Study :
@ SurreyRoadCops
Overview of the approach
Surrey Roads Policing Unit currently have a following
of 98,000 on Twitter and have won awards for their use of social media . Their Twitter account is used as a form of public engagement , with information relating to traffic stops , offending behaviours , results from court proceedings , collisions and road closures . The account is well-populated , with multiple posts every day . Various members of the Unit contribute to the account , ensuring that information is posted around the clock . Most of the posts include images or GIFs , making them eye-catching , with emojis and hashtags also used . Some posts are professional in tone but some are lighthearted and give the account character .
Much of the information provided is reactive - it is a representation of daily work , experiences or issues alongside live responses to public enquiries . Most of the content cannot , therefore , be pre-planned or pre-scheduled and so maintenance of the account does require time and effort on a daily basis .
Surrey ’ s Road Policing Twitter approach certainly attracts attention amongst the road user community . Consider exploring ( and following it ) for a range of examples of innovative and engaging content .
Mobile : Engaged contribution
Knowledge exchange
After closely following the SurreyRoadCops account for some time , and delving into its activities , we held a Knowledge Exchange Consultation ( KEC ) with an officer working for Surrey Police who contributes extensively to the social media strategy . As one of the leading force accounts on Twitter , the knowledge exchange was genuinely two-way , with learning and sharing on both sides . The information in this section relates to this particular account , but is readily transferable to other police force and road safety accounts .
Beyond ‘ awareness ’ - creating behavioural change The Surrey social media approach is generally used to inform members of the public of the unit ’ s daily work , highlighting the reasoning behind what they do and some of the results of their actions taken in response to problematic behaviour on the roads . Informing individuals of the law and the legal consequences associated
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