PHIPPSBURG

Public safety officials here are at odds over how — and whether — town agencies should use social media to disseminate public information.

Selectmen met with police, rescue and fire chiefs Wednesday night to discuss the issue. Town Administrator Michael Young said this morning the board will schedule a workshop to establish a formal policy on social media.

The board will use the policy in place at Lincolnville as a starting point to guide inclusion of a formal policy in the town’s personnel manual, Young said.

No date has been set for the workshop.

Selectmen discussed the issue with Fire Chief Jim Totman, rescue chief Noreen Alexander and Police Chief John Skroski after Totman and Alexander expressed concerns in a letter to selectmen.

The letter said town business is being disseminated through the use of Facebook and texting, among other multimedia networks, including information about fire, rescue, police and medical calls, as well as accidents and fires.

“It has been brought to my attention on more than one occasion that people are seeing information and pictures that they feel is very inappropriate and disturbing,” Totman and Alexander wrote. “I feel it is inappropriate for any town member or volunteer to disclose any information on these multimedia networks whether names are being used or not.

Skroski, who said he had no prior knowledge of Totman’s and Alexander’s letter before it went to selectmen, defended the police department’s Facebook page, which began last winter.

He told The Times Record that the page is a way to communicate with and develop good relationships with the community — especially youth — while providing government transparency.

“What better way to keep (the public) informed than electronically through this forum?” he said.

He said he’s aware of no issues with the police department’s Facebook page, noting he is careful not to post anything offensive.

The page has worked to improve his communication with the public, effectively dispelled rumors and myths, and allowed the public to see what their tax dollars are being spent on. “I’ve had nothing but positive feed- back,” he said.

“It’s a very efficient way to help solve crimes and offer prevention tips and keep people safe,” Skroski said. “I’d hate to see it go away.”

He said he disagrees with several points in the model policy from Lincolnville and feels it would hamper efforts to solve crimes and build relationships in the community if adopted in its current form.

He also called the move to ban or limit social media a slippery slope, opining that, “When we start limiting conversation or freedom of employees or even our citizenry to communicate effectively back and forth, what’s the next step?”

The Lincolnville policy, adopted last spring, includes such rules as:

— Do not say anything online that you would not say in a speech in your official capacity.

— Do not divulge nonpublic information. This includes any information designated as confidential, privileged, or any other type of information that may not be disclosed, even if someone asks you for it.

— Do not engage in vulgar or abusive language, personal attacks of any kind, or offensive terms targeting individuals or groups.

— Personal opinions are not to be posted on town sites.

— Do not post pictures of any crime scene, or fire scene. Photographs of town employees cannot be posted without employee consent.

Totman complained Wednesday about too much texting and posting of pictures on Facebook. He is concerned that the posting of accidents and fire scenes could pose a liability to the town.

“People are going on Facebook too much,” he said.

Police and other departments in surrounding towns have Facebook pages, including Bath and Brunswick.

Bath Police Chief Michael Field said his department’s Facebook page is highly controlled, and used for a number of purposes, including campaigns such as a post that October is domestic violence awareness month.

He said it can also be used as an investigative tool to identify a person who has shoplifted from a store, for example, and provides a venue to answer various questions from the public.

Field noted the city of Bath has an Internet use policy, which his department follows.

Bath Fire Chief Steve Hinds said he monitors his department’s Facebook page — which has been up for about two years — daily. It allows him to post general information on calls, including what crew and equipment is responding to an incident, so that “citizens know we’re out protecting the community.”

It also allows him to post public service announcements and information about the department staff doing inspections.

“We do all kinds of different things other than ride down the street in a big shiny vehicle,” Hinds said, and Facebook has worked great for his department, gets many visits and is something he hears many people comment on in passing.

Brunswick Town Manager Gary Brown said that to the extent departments such as police and public works in Brunswick utilize Facebook, there have been no issues that have risen to the level of warranting discussion about whether to adopt a policy or practices.

lgrard@timesrecord.com
dmoore@timesrecord.com