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specific to different areas. Senior law enforcement should adopt these tools and approaches as an
example to lower level officers, helping to establish routines around the use of social media as a
tool to communicate with the public.
International peacekeeping operations present an opportunity to build and integrate social media
communication capacity for policing in conflict countries. More than ever, the professionalization
of police requires an
online presence because
many of the narratives
that are harmful to
public security and the
legitimacy of the police
are propagated online.
Social media is a
valuable tool that
enables policing to
increase reactivity to
immediate security
concerns and establish
facts on the ground in
insecure environments. Social media can also be used pro-actively with narratives that explain
policing activities and priorities, as well as outlining areas for improvement. By establishing a
robust social media strategy, police can improve channels of communication between themselves
and their communities and promote the public’s trust.

Nadia Gerspacher is currently the Academic Director of the MoDA training Program where she
works to institutionalize training on effective capacity building practices. Prior to that she was
the director of security sector education at the US Institute of Peace where she oversaw several
projects that developed and disseminated good practices, knowledge and skills to various
audiences working in transitioning and conflict countries and security actors in those
countries. She has served on numerous working groups in the US and in Europe on SSR issues as
well as capacity building. And she has worked for over 10 years to integrate effective capacity
building practices into policy and guidance issued throughout the USG, NATO, the EU and the
UN among other partnerships.
She guest lectures often around the world on advising effectively,
building capacity sustainably and on policing with a community oriented
approach. Gerspacher is the author of “Strategic Advising in Foreign
Assistance” among several other publications.

Written by:
Nadia GERSPACHER

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