Social Connect
Upcoming Events
Friday, August 1, 2014
BY SCOTT LEFFLER
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com
What started as a check box on a computer menu in the Lockport Police Department ended up going around the world and back with help from an ill-conceived Facebook post that went viral.
When LPD put out a photo of a person they were looking for, it included a description as generated by the computer program the department uses. That description included the selection of "negro-da" (dark) for skin complexion.
A reporter for WGRZ Channel 2 talked with LPD Community Policing Aide Mark Sanders and Chief Larry Eggert Wednesday afternoon concerning the offensiveness of the word, turning it into a story on the matter.
The discussion between Sanders — who's African American — and the Channel 2 reporter caused the LPD employee to post something to his personal Facebook, asking his friends if they felt the word "negro" was offensive? Or simply outdated.
"I wanted to put up the question before it hit the press ... because I wanted to hear real answers," Sanders said Thursday morning. He felt an oncoming storm and he was trying to gauge public opinion before the story broke.
"This guy from Channel 2 came in guns loaded. He already had the story written. He just needed the video," Sanders said.
The Facebook conversation between Sanders' friends was intelligent and thought provoking, he said. So someone suggested bringing the conversation to a wider audience — the LPD Facebook page. From there, it went sideways.
"When I'm asking without the police, great responses," Sanders said. "You put a shield on it and all hell breaks loose."
It went from a Channel 2 story about the selection on a computer program to a much wider story about the Facebook question. It spread to Channel 4, The Union-Sun & Journal, the Buffalo News — and further to downstate newspapers, USA Today, websites like Gawker and more.
The story went from a local one about an outdated word on outdated software to a national one about an outdated police department — or even an outdated city, depending on the angle each reporter wrote from.
Nicole Schuman, owner of SchuShine Communications, said government entities "really have to strategize and think of every worst-case scenario" when using social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter.
"As far as government agencies go, they are there to serve the public, not provide entertainment," she said. "So unless they are asking the public for help in the search of a lost child, criminal, or another case, I would leave engagement questions off the table."
One of the problems, Sanders said, is that everyone is offended by something. And while in 10 years, he's never heard a member of the Lockport Police Department refer to a person of color as a "negro," there are still people — mainly of older generations — that use it.
"My grandmother didn't like the term 'African American,' " he said. "She said, 'I'm not from Africa.' "
The question remained on the LPD Facebook page for about an hour and a half. "We took it down because of a lot of negativity," Sanders said.
Eggert and Sanders both said Thursday that a community discussion on race is still a good idea — just not via Facebook.
"We're considering doing a public forum," Sanders said.
Get the daily East Niagara Post email update.
Send an email to news@eastniagarapost.com with "email update" in the subject line.
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com
 |
The Lockport Police Department's use of the word "negro" on a departmental report and social
media gathered national attention. (GOOGLE NEWS SCREENSHOT)
|
When LPD put out a photo of a person they were looking for, it included a description as generated by the computer program the department uses. That description included the selection of "negro-da" (dark) for skin complexion.
A reporter for WGRZ Channel 2 talked with LPD Community Policing Aide Mark Sanders and Chief Larry Eggert Wednesday afternoon concerning the offensiveness of the word, turning it into a story on the matter.
The discussion between Sanders — who's African American — and the Channel 2 reporter caused the LPD employee to post something to his personal Facebook, asking his friends if they felt the word "negro" was offensive? Or simply outdated.
"I wanted to put up the question before it hit the press ... because I wanted to hear real answers," Sanders said Thursday morning. He felt an oncoming storm and he was trying to gauge public opinion before the story broke.
"This guy from Channel 2 came in guns loaded. He already had the story written. He just needed the video," Sanders said.
 |
LPD's Facebook question was meant to spur community discussion,
according to police officials. The result was not as intended. (GAWKER
SCREENSHOT)
|
"When I'm asking without the police, great responses," Sanders said. "You put a shield on it and all hell breaks loose."
It went from a Channel 2 story about the selection on a computer program to a much wider story about the Facebook question. It spread to Channel 4, The Union-Sun & Journal, the Buffalo News — and further to downstate newspapers, USA Today, websites like Gawker and more.
The story went from a local one about an outdated word on outdated software to a national one about an outdated police department — or even an outdated city, depending on the angle each reporter wrote from.
Eggert said it's his fault for not thinking through how social media would react.
"Because I was looking at it from an academic perspective," the chief said. "When I do it in class, people have different perspectives and you actually learn something from it. ... I should have known that because (Facebook is) an unregulated site that some of it would have been inflammatory."
"I saw it as a teaching moment. And that's what it was meant to be," Sander said. "It wasn't up for a poll.""Because I was looking at it from an academic perspective," the chief said. "When I do it in class, people have different perspectives and you actually learn something from it. ... I should have known that because (Facebook is) an unregulated site that some of it would have been inflammatory."
Nicole Schuman, owner of SchuShine Communications, said government entities "really have to strategize and think of every worst-case scenario" when using social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter.
"As far as government agencies go, they are there to serve the public, not provide entertainment," she said. "So unless they are asking the public for help in the search of a lost child, criminal, or another case, I would leave engagement questions off the table."
One of the problems, Sanders said, is that everyone is offended by something. And while in 10 years, he's never heard a member of the Lockport Police Department refer to a person of color as a "negro," there are still people — mainly of older generations — that use it.
"My grandmother didn't like the term 'African American,' " he said. "She said, 'I'm not from Africa.' "
The question remained on the LPD Facebook page for about an hour and a half. "We took it down because of a lot of negativity," Sanders said.
Eggert and Sanders both said Thursday that a community discussion on race is still a good idea — just not via Facebook.
"We're considering doing a public forum," Sanders said.
Send an email to news@eastniagarapost.com with "email update" in the subject line.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are always appreciated. Your comment will be reviewed for approval before being made public.