ABSTRACT
The literature on police technology is replete with examinations of the tools of enforcement. From the most basic applications of computers to policing (Donavant, 2009; Grosskopf, 2010; Kinsella & McGarry, 2011) to contemporary advancements in areas like crime mapping (Carrozza & Seufert, 2003; Rogers, 1999; Wartell, 2000) and less-than-lethal weapons (Leinfelt, 2005; Sousa, Ready, & Ault, 2010; White & Ready, 2009), scholars kept pace with the burgeoning world of police technology, offering both theoretical criticisms and empirical evaluations. While law enforcement, criminologists, and other scholars are acutely aware of the expanding world of cybercrime-including (but not limited to) copyright infringement and piracy (Katyal, 2003; Luckenbill & Miller, 2008), identity theft (Copes, Vieraitis, & Jochum, 2007;
Introduction ........................................................................................................ 245 Literature Review ................................................................................................ 246
Taking Technology Beyond Crime Fighting .............................................. 246 Research Question #1: What Is the Prevalence of City Law Enforcement Websites in the United States? ................................................... 247
Methods .......................................................................................................... 247 Results ............................................................................................................. 248
Research Question #2: What Are the Core Elements of City Law Enforcement Websites? ...................................................................................... 249
Methods .......................................................................................................... 249 Results ............................................................................................................. 250
Branding and Identity Management ................................................................ 251 Managing Public Demand Online ................................................................... 252 Community Outreach and Engagement ......................................................... 253 Conclusion and Discussion ............................................................................... 255 References ............................................................................................................ 256
Smith, 1999), bullying (Patchin & Hinduja, 2006; Walrave & Heirman, 2011), child exploitation (Grosskopf, 2010; Mitchell, Finkelhor, Jones & Wolak, 2010), and cyberterrorism (Giacomello, 2004; Weimann, 2005)—academics have not paid similar attention to the emerging phenomenon of law enforcement websites, or police web presence (PWP). PWP represents one of the most substantial areas of change within contemporary policing. As the police evolve into an institution with multiple facets of online identity, ranging from Facebook accounts (Lieberman, Koetzle, & Sakiyama, 2013) to official standalone websites (Rosenbaum, Graziano, Stephens, & Schuck, 2011), scholarly focus on PWP becomes even more necessary.
