Employees of the Chesterfield County Police Department are prohibited from posting sensitive information, such as their department’s patch or badge, any data or information from investigations, past or present, any crime scene evidence, personal statements about investigations, or explicit language. These restrictions apply to officers both off and on duty; furthermore, CCPS also prohibits using department issued electronic devices to post on social media.
There is no restriction on when individuals are permitted to post, provided they are not using department issued electronics, and not posting anything that would have a negative impact on the department.

The agency doesn’t prohibit posting of pictures in uniform, per se, but does have a clause about prohibiting pictures of “the department patch, badge, and logo” (Social Media, pg. 2), as well as pictures and videos of training exercises. There is also no existing clause prohibiting officers from identifying themselves as such.

Police officers represent the county and the police department, so they need to have a good public image. They also shouldn’t be sharing sensitive information regarding investigations, since that could adversely affect their outcome. As such, I agree with each provision in Chesterfield County Police Department’s Social Media policy. I think it has good provisions for the issues it wants to solve; it clearly sets limitations on what the officers can post, like the clause stating they cannot post personal information about a person, and states the possible punishment would be for the violation, in this case civil liability.
While I think the policy is good, it could stand to better lay out punishments for violations – instead of “civil liability”, state what that would entail, whether a monetary fine or jail time, or whatever the punishment may be. I also think they should have the policy divided into on and off the clock posting, clearly stating what each can and can’t post, to make the policy even clearer.
Chesterfield County Police Department. (2017, March 13). 1.5.02 Social Media.

Lexington Police Department – Lexington, Kentucky

Individuals employed by the Lexington Police Department are prohibited from posting anything relating to the department’s investigations and call responses; furthermore, they are expected not to take any actions or say anything that could reflect poorly on the department as a whole. Lexington Police Department does divide the policy into on and off duty expectations; on duty officers are able to post on the county’s social media pages, provided they identify themselves as an officer, and they cannot share any sensitive information about suspects, investigations, or training. On duty officers are also expected to not conduct personal business while on duty.
The policy does not state when officers are permitted to post, but it does divide the policy and give guidelines for posts on and off duty.

Employees are permitted to post photos while in uniform, as well as photos of community activities the department may be a part of, like social functions. Employees cannot, however, post any content of them on the job, like videos or other media, and they cannot share footage of any training exercises they may be a part of.

I think that, while this policy doesn’t quite spell everything out and make it black and white, it does give the officers more leeway. It splits the policy into on and off duty, and does lay out what social media can be used for for both. This policy seems to focus more on what the officers can do, rather than what they can’t do, and doesn’t use language like “prohibited”; this could make the officers feel like they aren’t being controlled, and could positively impact them while doing their jobs.
While this policy doesn’t spell out punishments for wrongdoings, I think it could be effective, more so than one that “prohibits” the officers to do something.
Lexington Police Department. (2017, November 25). G.O. 2011-01A Social Media.