The Police Have Arrived

I like the twitter-tradition of Follow Friday but it lacks a little something in terms of explaining the context of the why and wherefore of a recommendation. The police are interesting people to follow currently because two things are happening - the command level are waking up to twitter as a way of publicising their force achievements and crime initiatives, and the grassroots cop and their representatives are finding it a way to express reservations (sometimes very serious reservations) about the way things are going on the ground. So these are the Boys/Girls in Blue who I follow, and of course I'm very open to other suggestions. 

I wish twitter had been around when I was a local reporter at Radio Manchester and Granada because there are lots of local story tips now being dropped by the cops. Falling in to the this category is @Co11MetPolice which flags up things of interest, I also like @GMPGorton in east Manchester - which I know from experience can be a challenging area for the law. WestYorksPolice actually puts job adverts up.  DCC_StuartHyde  a self confessed pie eating man-mountain Deputy Chief Constable in Cumbria is also good value.


Other police tweet and blog under a cover of anonymity, and very illuminating this is at times like these. @TheCustodySgt  is one such; he manages a thirty cell suite and a thriving twitter account. He opens up a gateway to lots of cops who also tweet, which I leave you to explore. Don't miss @PCWibble. He does a fizzing tweet-feed and also check out the blog belonging to InspGadgetBlogs.I also follow Spartancop and very good value he is. 


The Police Fed and ACPO are also running accounts. Have a gander at  polisee - she's involved with policy at the Federation, RimonSeed is also there, olliecattermole is an ACPO tweeter. I shouldn't forget the middle management: policesupers

Journalists who follow the cops are also very good value. @RoamingRoyston is Deputy Editor of the Police Review, and he's got lots to say.

I've just scratched the surface, but the point is they're out there and well worth adding if you're into that sort of thing.  Fellow hacks are welcome to loot my list.