by WES FERGUSON
From now on, Buda residents can breathe easy when they’re wasting time on social media, mobile apps, auction sites and personal emails.
While the rest of us are awash in Facebook feeds and viral videos, Buda’s police officers will no longer be similarly tempted under strict new rules that govern when and how they use the Internet and digital devices.
Social media status updates? Not while on duty, and not about the job – unless it’s an approved investigative technique.
Personal messages sent from a city email account? That’s banned too.
Police employees also can’t be seen in party pics that show people imbibing adult drinks.
“I think law enforcement is held to a higher standard, and I think that’s right and appropriate,” said Police Chief Bo Kidd, who spearheaded the new guidelines. “In law enforcement you wear that uniform every day, all day. That’s the way people see you.”
The policy is not a response to any particular social-media missteps within the department, he added.
“This is something that agencies all across the country are having to deal with right now. It’s a sign of the times,” Kidd said. “I’ve never been on Facebook and Twitter. It does seem that it’s almost addicting for some people,” he said. “I don’t think taxpayers would appreciate an officer on duty spending five minutes or five hours doing that.”
Changes could be in store for other city of Buda employees. Kidd is a member of a staff committee that is rewriting the entire city policy for Internet use, and he expects to have a working document within a few months.
One provision in the police guidelines could be a real bummer for officers who use their personal cameras or other digital devices to gather pictures, video and audio while on duty. The police department reserves the right to seize an officer’s personal equipment and hold it as evidence.
Employees must obtain written permission from the police chief before posting pictures or video of themselves wearing their police uniforms or displaying any department-owned equipment, including the patch or logo.
The policy also instructs officers that city computers are not personal entertainment devices and should not be used as such. Participation in online auction sites for personal gain is prohibited. Officers also must refrain from Internet games and other pastime activities.
