Police warn against trusting crime pages on social media

Social media platforms, such as Facebook, have allowed any individual to create their own page and become so-called 'citizen journalists'.

It has created problems for law enforcement right across the nation, including in Ballarat.

Recently Ballarat Police have spoken out about the ongoing issue with crime pages in this city.

In a statement posted on Eyewatch - Ballarat Police Service Area, police reiterated Eyewatch was the only official social media page run by local Victoria Police members.

"Other public social media pages in the community post police-related news and badge our file photos as their own."

The statement goes on to warn the community "not to rely on social media pages run by members of the public claiming to be news outlets for accurate and current police information.

"Ballarat Police are not in any way affiliated or associated with any Ballarat Crime Facebook Page."

It comes amid Victoria Police concern at confusion in the community that some Facebook crime pages, with spuriously official titles, are run by police. Police have now taken the step of speaking out to make it clear this is not the case.

In an interview with The Courier, police said people were attempting to report crimes and incidents through unofficial crime pages with the belief they were run by police officers who could file official reports.

Ballarat Police's Acting Sergeant Mel Peters said this was worrying as it meant police were not receiving information as it was reported and it could impact their ability to investigate and make the community a safer place.

"When information is reported to us in a timely manner we can investigate as it comes in. If people go through a [social media] page without a link to us and that page does not report the information to police, then the information is lost."

Acting Sergeant Peters said police were being contacted by people who believed they had made a report by sending a message to a crime page, but when they tried to follow-up by calling the station they realised police did not have the information.

This can also create a security risk, as people are passing on their personal information - including contact details and residential addresses - to someone they believe is a police officer, but who is not.

"How do you know what will happen with that information? People are passing on their contact details to people and they don't know who they are, so that's a concern too.

"It's really important they go through the official police channels. Triple-0 in an emergency, Crime Stoppers or the Police Assistance Line when they need police but don't need the lights and sirens."

Acting Sergeant Peters also told The Courier that community members attending incident scenes to take photos for social media could also be problematic.

"You get in our way. When we are at a crime or accident scene, we need to focus on that.

"We need clear space to work a scene and do what we need to do. If we are having to spend time talking to people and asking them to move, that's time away from our core duties of helping people.

"So you are not helping, you're hindering."

She said police would disseminate information about incidents to their Eyewatch page "as we see fit" or through accredited media outlets.

She said people not trained "may overstep the boundaries of journalism and the proper ethics of how things should be reported", and may not consider potential legal issues or the potential impact on individuals and families.

While police use the Eyewatch page to share information and safety messaging with the community, crime reports should be made via official reporting channels and not social media.

That is by calling Triple-0 in an emergency or contacting Crime Stoppers (1800 333 000) or the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 for non-urgent responses.

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