The Department of Investigation has delivered a scathing review of the New York Police Department's higher-ups for what they described as "irresponsible and unprofessional" activity on social media platforms, such as X. Findings show that NYPD executives, including Chief of Department John Chell and Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry, crossed lines of propriety with posts that, while not conclusively deemed political, certainly stirred turmoil about their nature—here, Jocelyn E. Strauber, the DOI Commissioner, criticized the exchanges for not serving the public interest, as detailed in a report shared by Gothamist.
Following these revelations and an investigation catalyzed by concerns from City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, the inspector general has urged that the NYPD enact meaningful revisions to its social media guidelines—guidelines that have not seen an update since December 2022. Speaker Adams cited the NYPD's engagements on social media as “dangerous,” “unethical,” and "undermines public confidence in the department," as per a statement collected by CBS News New York. Her call to action came after posts from official NYPD accounts were flagged that was believed aggressive attacks, and potentially dangerous misinformation spread on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
In the wake of these allegations, some are demanding accountability, with City Council spokesperson Rendy Desamours insisting that the NYPD "maintain strong oversight to ensure compliance" with city policy, while DOI Commissioner Strauber is on record saying “New York City deserves public officials who use social media responsibly” to foster respectable dialogues. The NYPD acknowledged the report and stated they have already made important modifications to how they manage their social presence and intend to review suggestions put forth by the DOI, according to a Gothamist article.
Corrective measures recommended by the DOI include the NYPD ensuring its social media policy is in line with standards across all city agencies, creating an approval process for postings, and training for staff on the best practises surrounding digital communication—Jeanene Barrett, OIG-NYPD Inspector General, iterated that the Department should always communicate in a manner that is courteous, respectful, and professional, "The advancement of NYPD's policy positions and missions in public statements should always be informative, accurate, and professional,” according to a report from CBS News New York. As these discussions unfold, the city watches to see if these recommendations will be just words or a catalyst for real change in the NYPD communication ethos.
