Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia is unique. In addition to fulfilling the hefty responsibility of protecting the third largest county in the U.S., he has successfully used online communication to provide his constituents with an unprecedented level of access to himself and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Garcia doesn’t just have social network accounts, he’s active on them. He utilizes both Twitter and Facebook to post real-time updates that include safety tips, breaking news, and behind-the-scenes photos. This is all in addition to timely responses and interaction with members of his online community. Send him a tweet – he’ll respond personally!
The Sheriff also utilizes a text messaging platform to compliment his other online communication efforts. Supporters sign up either through a form on AdrianGarcia.com or by text messaging ‘TeamAG’ to 24587. Through the use of text messaging, Sheriff Garcia not only provides a rapid news alert system, he’s also able to reach a constituency who might not have access to smartphones or computers.
Garcia also launched “APB: Assembled Press Briefs” – his ongoing email series that spotlights, through easy to digest posts, Harris County Sheriff’s Office news and important county-wide press offerings.
With just a few clicks, Sheriff Garcia provides for his community more communication and transparency than ever before. Purposeful use of online communications has not yet been widely adopted by law enforcement, making Sheriff Garcia a bit of a trendsetter. His forward-thinking is an example for agencies across the country. He has provided a fantastic model of how to earn the public’s trust and confidence through direct and frequent communication.