Police Osnabrück is moving to WhatsApp: Future of crisis communication
Police Osnabrück is moving to WhatsApp: Future of crisis communication
In a pioneering decision, the Osnabrück police department was the first German police authority to be withdrawn from platform X. This decision was influenced by several factors, especially through changes in use and communication within the service. The police authority has found that the application no longer meets the requirements for user -friendly and spacious communication that is necessary for modern police work.
Michael Maßmann, the President of the Osnabrück police department, commented: "Communication and usage behavior on X have changed. For us as a police directorate, we no longer see the absolute added value and saddle." The authority plans to realign its communication strategies, especially in crisis communication, and will in future rely on the WhatsApp channel. This should enable faster and direct information of the approximately 1.5 million citizens in their area of responsibility.
new communication strategy
Access to information will change significantly, since all four police inspections affected are available from September 1st via official WhatsApp channels. The respective channels can be found in the Messenger under the names of the Osnabrück police, Leer/Emden police, Aurich/Wittmund and police Emsland/Grafschaft Bentheim. This measure is considered forward -looking, especially with regard to communication in larger police operations, such as demonstrations or potential terrorist situations.
In addition, the WhatsApp channel has been successfully used as part of a nationwide political test for six months, which further consolidates the decision to use this platform. The police hope not only an improved range from this change, but also greater satisfaction and better information for users.
diverse online presence
In addition to WhatsApp, the Osnabrück police department also uses other social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for communication with the public. In addition, so-called social media cops are active, which show presence with personal accounts on social media. Marco Ellermann, the spokesman for the Osnabrück police authority, emphasizes the need to be responsive where people are and explains: "The dynamics of social media communication requires constant market observation and adaptation."
These adjustments illustrate the change in the communication culture of the police, which is now increasingly using the opportunities of digital communication in order to inform the citizens promptly and transparently. The decision to move from X shows that the police authority is willing to adapt to new technical developments and to take the needs of the population seriously. This step could possibly have a trend among other police authorities that consider similar adjustments in their communication.
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