Case Study: Operation Snap
continued...
Mobile:Engaged contribution
Knowledge Exchange
Whilst our Knowledge Exchange Consultation (KEC) took place with GoSafe, and was focused on developing
their work specifically, much of the discussion was, we believe, relevant to other forces who are yet to
implement a scheme of this type.
Social norms
Humans generally, and naturally, wish to be part of the majority in-group¹ and public reporting projects like
Operation Snap are a great opportunity for redefining who that ‘majority’ actually is on the roads. One way we
can do this is by emphasising that this resource exists because the public have demanded it and not because
the police want us to spy on each other, or cannot do their job without us. One way of reinforcing this message
is by focussing on reporting the numbers of people submitting, rather than focussing on the behaviour of those
who have been reported. Footage of dangerous driving makes good publicity material, but this should be
accompanied by figures about levels of public reporting.
The Operation Snap strategy is to be clear that it exists in response to public demands - a kind of ‘you asked, we
did’, which we (and the research evidence) fully support. We would encourage media work to avoid suggesting
that the public are ‘helping out the police’ (which may lead people to criticise the approach as ‘doing their work
for them’), but to promote the idea of the police and public working together to co-produce the same aim –
safer roads.
Interaction with offenders and the accused
Online submission of footage allows police forces to come into contact with a range of people (both offenders
and submitters) and part of our KEC involved discussion of how those individuals are engaged with. It is
essential that forces make the most of these encounters and see them as opportunities to increase the
legitimacy of their work in the eyes of the public. It is important to consider how individuals who have been
accused of committing an offence will be contacted (email, phone, letter?), who they will be contacted by, and
what the contact will involve. For more specifics, see pages 59-61 and the discussion of ‘procedural justice’.
Wherever and whenever we are able to interact with offenders, we should be making the most of those
opportunities to influence their future behaviour in a positive manner.
¹ Terry, D.J., Hogg, M.A. and McKimmie, B.M. (2000). Attitude ‐behaviour relations: The role of in‐group norms and mode of behavioural decision‐making. British
Journal of Social Psychology, 39(3), pp.337-361.
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