This is the second of a two-part series.
With more than 5,000 shares and 4,000 reactions and comments in less than a few hours after posting the viral "We Are Outside" post, the Pine Bluff Police Department picked up more than criminals during their saturation efforts last week.
They also picked up quite a few Facebook followers, likes and laughing emojis.
Engaging with their online audience, the PBPD gave fair warning that they would be on patrol last Friday night and throughout that weekend. While they knew they would receive feedback, what they didn't expect was the amount.
From funny responses from the community to clever clapbacks from the PBPD, community policing took on a whole new meaning.
"Aren't y'all supposed to be outside anyway? Asking for a friend!" said a Facebook user.
"Sometimes we be inside typing warrants," replied PBPD.
"Glad they finally let y'all out," said another Facebook user.
"We broke out," replied PBPD.
"What made y'all get out tonight?" asked a user on Facebook.
"Air conditioner went out," replied PBPD.
From special requests, food orders, doughnut analogies, "catch me if you can" jokes and even Facebook users telling the PBPD where to patrol, it was a night that everyone involved will remember.
"This is the best and funniest thread I've seen in a long time," said Teresa Derryberry on Facebook to the PBPD. "Thanks for being out and the interaction with your followers on Facebook."
So who approved these messages and gave the PBPD the green light for some Friday night comedy?
"I did," said Pine Bluff Chief of Police Denise Richardson, adding that a group of officers moderated their Facebook page. "I told our officers to let it rip. Keep it clean, keep it respectful, keep it professional and keep it fun."
Richardson said the social interaction was a way for the young officers to play a role that was not being taken advantage of.
"Number one, they don't have the rank to always be at the table where we make the hard decisions, but we need them to know that they have some equity in this department," said Richardson of her Generation Z and Millennial officers. "They have value and if we don't listen, as long-serving members like myself, if we refuse to open our minds, refuse to evolve internally, we're always going to miss the mark when it comes to communicating with our people."
Richardson said what she liked most about the Facebook interaction was that even though the PBPD was moderating and administrating, it was the community who drove the dialogue.
"Everybody is not going to walk up to this building. Everybody's not going to call on the phone. Everybody's not going to make it over to the webpage, but what we knew is people will get on Facebook," said Richardson. "We used it in a way that is nonthreatening to them and nonthreatening to us."
While the PBPD were prepared for high jinks and wittiness, what they weren't prepared for was the amount of comments inquiring about cold cases.
"What we heard behind those posts was sadness, frustration and anger and when you don't get answers from the people who are supposed to have the answers, that's what you get," said Richardson. "We don't want that to evolve into hatred for the police department."
Richardson said they were able to provide guidance to those Facebook users and also sent the information to their detectives and the people in charge of looking into old cases.
"In some of our cases, we may not have designated time and space to review," said Richardson. "Now we know this is something we have to do so it allowed the families and friends, if they had something to say, they could let it out and we didn't hold it against them."
Some cases mentioned went as far back as 1996, at a time when some of Richardson's current officers weren't even born, she mentioned.
"The families are still suffering," said Richardson. "I was amazed even if they came on the post angry and upset about the approach we were taking and the light-heartedness of it, we ended up at a place where we had a better understanding of each other."
Richardson said social media is a free tool for their exposure to show care, concern and interest in what is interesting to the people.
"We weren't using it," she said. She mentioned social media also playing a part in her officer's wellness program, where they can have a safe place to vent.
"There are ways that they can vent their frustrations about the administration, and they learn how to get their point across without it being accusatory or hostile," she said. "It blows off steam for them."
Facebook will continue to be used by the PBPD as part of its outreach and community engagement.
"We want to expand our reach and let the people know we hear you, we see you and have some fun," said Richardson, who said it was very important that they responded to every comment. "We know that there are people in our community that are underserved, unheard, who feel invisible and alienated by general society and this police department, so we didn't want them to get lost in the shuffle."
Richardson said the plan is to hire a media professional to help them know their way forward, better connect with local press partners, and be the spokesperson for the PBPD and for her.
"This person can get out front and speak for us when I am tied up," said Richardson. "We may be great chiefs but we may not always know how to respond."
Who did know how to respond, however, during the night of the PBPD saturation was the quick keyboard comeback "Queen or King of Comedy," who for now Richardson said will remain a mystery.
"We want the community to stay engaged as we provide information and education," she said. "Some of our posts will be really light-hearted and lots of fun, but we're also going to teach you some things, show you some things and we are going to have a good time doing it."
