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2020 Annual Report • Police Department • St. Anthony Village, Minnesota <br /> <br /> <br />25 | Page <br /> <br />XI. Social Media <br />PREPARED BY OFFICER JIM SOUTH <br /> <br />2020 was a year that required all of us to adapt from our “norms”. With the onset of a global <br />pandemic, we all faced changes that were not foreseen and definitely not welcomed. It has <br />challenged everyone to think outside the box and figure out ways of making our lives as <br />“normal” as they could be. The one thing that stayed constant and did not go away was the use <br />of social media. <br />Social media is used as a way to communicate in a very safe and socially distanced way. Per <br />department policy, officers may use social media as a method of effectively informing the public <br />about department services, issues, investigations, and other relevant events, while ensuring <br />such use protects the constitutional rights of all. The St. Anthony Police Department embarked <br />on our social media journey in 2017 and has continued to see growth. This year proved to be <br />another year of growth and challenges. <br />We currently have 3 different social media platforms, which are managed by four officers on the <br />department. These officers continually look for fresh ideas for content, all while keeping the <br />community updated on activities inside and outside the police department. We find that our use <br />of social media as a community engagement effort helps to keep our community better <br />informed, and therefore safer, which feeds our department mission of a safe and peaceful <br />community. <br />Over the past year, we have been excited to see a significant <br />increase in the number of people who have chosen to follow our <br />social media platforms for community updates and events, <br />involving the police department and the City of St. Anthony. <br />For example, since January 1, 2020, the department’s Facebook <br />page has seen a 28 percent increase in followership and “likes,” <br />which means even more people for us to engage with on a <br />regular basis. Additionally, we track the number of views <br />certain posts receive and use that information when we consider <br />future content and delivery methods. Two of our most