Houston Police Department: An Exploration of Social Media to Improve Police-Public Relations

Abstract

This applied research project is intended to be an exploratory study on the methods used by the Houston Police Department to interact with the citizenry through social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The study includes a historical view on what the Houston Police Department is and how it has evolved over the decades, as well as methods other major law enforcement agencies have utilized for community engagement purposes through social media platforms. Through analysis of various academic sources and a comparison of data compiled from Houston Police Department’s various social media platforms, this research project will look at what the department has done over a three- month period to engage the public and make recommendations to improve these efforts for the benefit of the department and the citizens they serve.