Gamification, Social Media, and Digital Communication: Enhancing Communication Processes in Law Enforcement & Emergency Management
1.
2. Social Media & Mobile Communication
• As mobile devices become more powerful, communication technology can help show the needs of
organizations, as well as individuals, wherever there is a Wi-Fi or phone signal. Together, Apple and Google
offer more than 1.5 million inexpensive or free applications (Adler, Rodman, & de Pre, 2014). These are just a
few:
Physical Needs
•Global SOS: Look up telephone emergency
numbers in more than 150 countries.
•iTriage: Research symptoms, find doctors, and
locate emergency facilities.
Social Needs
•Loopt Mix: Connect with nearby strangers whose
interests match yours.
•Friend Mapper: Display the geographic location of
nearby friends.
Practical Needs
•Translate: Translate words and phrases between
many popular languages.
•Mint: Balance your budget, track expenses, and
check balances in multiple accounts
3. What can social media do for emergency practitioners?
• It could be an excellent way for
sharing and coordinating
information in the event of an
emergency.
• Video upload for first aid data in
an emergency situation.
• Makes the important video and
files available to upload to a social
network, so that everyone can
look at files in common and
analyze them.
• If properly controlled, it could be very beneficial, especially as a research database, if
important response and recovery information is lost.
• It can be used as a collaborative problem solving tool essential to emergency managers
and first responders.
4. What is Gamification?
• Gamification is the process of making nongame activities more fun and engaging. Learning technology
specialist Karl Kapp defines gamification as “a careful and considered application of game thinking to
solving problems and encourages learning using all the elements of games that are appropriate” (Leaman,
2014, p. 35). Gamed learning is also very strong when helping to improve the retention of learning through
techniques such as repetition, association, elaboration, and stories. Gamification is equally as strong as in
boosting behavior-based learning, where the goal is to shift employee attitudes, values, and beliefs (Leaman,
2014, p. 36).
These are a few techniques for improving
knowledge retention, which includes: (Leaman,
2014, p. 36-37).
1) Elaborating-linking new information with
prior information.
2) Organizing, sorting, and matching
information, all of which help learners
improve conceptual knowledge.
3) Associating-linking a word, term, or
image to its definition.
4) Repeating content, which is proved to
improve knowledge retained over the long
term.
5. Why Games?
Element 1: Mystery- This exists when there is a gap between known an unknown information and the person
experiencing the gap realizes information exists to fill that gap but they know they need to find it (Kapp, 2014).
Element 2: Action- Good games start with action. Right from the beginning the player must do something; run
towards a shelter, find a map, or begin collecting pieces of the Triforce (Kapp, 2014).
Element 3: Being at risk-In a game, a player could lose a life, be required to start over, or lose all the gold coins
collected because of a wrong move. When people feel at risk, they pay closer attention, focus their energy, and are
engaged at the task at hand (Kapp, 2014).
Element 4: Uncertainty of outcome- This is similar to risk, which puts the learner in a situation in which they can’t
predict the outcome. When playing a game, an individual doesn’t know the outcome in advance (Kapp, 2014).
Element 5: Opportunity for mastery- games allow learners to become more proficient at their jobs, and become more
proficient as well. More importantly, a player can conquer a level, display their prowess at solving a puzzle, or shoe how well
they know the game board by collecting hidden treasures (Kapp, 2014).
6. Gamification for Emergency Managers
• A new entrant in gamification is called Zero Hour, which “simulates a mass anthrax attack. Player must create
critical operational decisions and respond to questions from array of fictional characters who report to an
inoculation center, all while fielding simulated phone calls and requests for added equipment. Zero Hour was
designed through a cohort of associations, including, the Chicago Health Department, the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, and the University of Illinois (Straw, 2014).
• Similar to pieces on a chalk board, the player deploys first responders, staying mindful of their capabilities and
equipment relative to hazards. The player can order personnel to close or contra-flow streets for evacuation,
evacuate civilians by area, and even temporarily shelter-in-place, which depends on the risk of exposure (Straw,
2014).
Security educator and American Public University
Professor Valerie Davis, defines gamification as “the
dynamic use of game-play mechanics and
techniques to enhance learning outcomes. Problem
solving, critical thinking and group analytical
thinking are valuable attributes in the intelligence
field. They’re also important factors to any teenager
who has played a strategy game on Xbox, especially
in today’s live-gaming environment” (2013).
7. Gamification for Emergency Managers (continued)
• The boot camp will teach how intelligence analysts make vital decisions that could have serious national and
personal security consequences. Instructors will make false personas on social media outlets such as Facebook and
Twitter to teach methods for finding out whether an individual is real of made-up. By using popular social
networks, students will be immersed in a familiar environment that leads to unexpected outcomes (Davis, 2013).
“Just about every teen has used Facebook and Twitter, but how many have analyzed and assessed false personas”
(Davis, 2013)?
Geographic Information Systems in
Emergency Management
GIS layers streets, schools, parcels, city
facilities, fire stations, police stations,
banks, hospitals, commercial buildings,
industrial buildings, and parks. A city’s
GIS division designs and maintains the
layers. The system permits staff to
design additional operational layers if
they are needed during an emergency
situation. Additionally, contact
information of key people and standard
protocols are available with the touch of
a button (ARCNews, Winter, 2010/2011).
http://www.esri.com/news/
arcuser/0112/answering-
emergency-management-
information-needs.html
8. Web 2.0 Technology
Social media analytics solutions give a constant stream of information. By balancing this highly
unstructured data in real time using streaming social media analytics, officers are able to identify
and locate potential threats and evolving events, find evidence through photos or track down
witnesses (IBM, 2014, p. 8). Moreover, Police and emergency managers need a display that includes
such search results as organization, location, vehicle, weapon, property, phone, event, media and
document (IBM, 2014, p. 5).
(IBM, 2014, p. 3)
Social media analytics is an emerging technology
being used by many larger agencies to provide
real-time intelligence to law enforcement officers.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD)
has put together a social media unit within its
intelligence division. Most posts on social media
give no useful information to public safety
officials, as well as obscure the posts that could
enhance emergency responders’ situational
awareness. Although, the NYPD has been making
strides using social media by accessing valuable
information from social media posts across
various online platforms using data aggregation
and decision support tools (IBM, 2014, p. 7).
9. Components of a communication strategy
• Does your company have a procedure for issuing instructions to workers at home?
• Are there ways for the key decision maker to communicate with your workforce? Are there
backup methods in the primary ways, such as phone connections?
• Do members of your workforce have a way to reach someone in charge to inquire about the
situation an provide an update of their own situations and availability?
• Have you prepared communication templates, with agreed upon language that can be configured
to the actual crisis?
• Have you prepared key authorization messages in advance?
“In an unexpected disaster, the
ability of your workforce to
maintain business operations
can hinge on your ability to
account for their safety”
(IBM, 2011, p. 8).
11. Key Competencies for Policing by IBM
“Law enforcement is increasingly an information management business. Getting the
right information into the right hands at the right time can prevent and save lives. To get
the most out of the new tools available to fight crime, law enforcement agencies need an
integrated, end-to-end technology strategy–one that delivers the capabilities they need to
protect and serve the public in a cost-effective manner” (IBM, 2014, p. 2).
Getting ahead of the incident
“Good mission effectiveness
demands proactive planning and
decision making. That takes
more accessing, organizing and
integrating information. To
enable action, that information
must be understood and shared
appropriately” (IBM, 2014, p. 9).
(IBM, 2012, p. 3)
12. California’s Metcalf Substation Attack
How well are emergency response plans coordinated between public safety
agencies and power providers? If a large scale, well-coordinated, multi-
location attack were to occur, would security mechanisms in place sufficiency
mitigate such an attack with minimal disruption to the grid” (SST, 2014)?
Substation Attack Surveillance PhotoOfficials believe that this attack could have been a “dress rehearsal”
for a larger attack at multiple locations, which could potentially
disrupt services for months. While the Metcalf Substation attack did
not cause a serious disruption in electrical service, it raises questions
on how to balance the requirements for other physical and cyber
security that could happen to the nation’s critical infrastructure
facilities (SST, 2014). “Was the Metcalf Substation attack a test run
for a much larger and coordinated attack at multiple power grid
locations?
Just a day after the Boston Bombings, which happened on April 15,
2013, another act of terrorism hit American soil on April 16, 2013.
California’s Metcalf Substation was attacked by armed shooters, which
showed the public that our grid facilities are not safe, and highly
vulnerable to an organized attack from terrorists and extremists.
“According to authorities, one or more individuals were able to gain
access to critical areas of the Metcalf Substation and open fire using
high-powered firearms to destroy at least 17 transformers, causing more
than $15M in damages. It is believed that the attack’s duration exceeded
19 minutes and those responsible were able to flee the scene well before
the arrival of first responders” (SST, 2014).
13. California’s Metcalf Substation Attack Timeline
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702
304851104579359141941621778
Critical Finding of the Metcalf Substation Attack
(SST,2014)
• Motion Sensors did not detect the attack until
approximately 10 minutes after the attack was
initiated
• The attackers used high-powered weapons firing
projectiles that had the capability of penetrating
thick steel
• Over 100 7.62mm rounds were fired during the
attack well before the arrival of responding police
• The attack appears to have been well planned and
was most likely scouted in advance of the assault
• A similar, coordinated attack on multiple
substations could disrupt power to a large area for
weeks or months
14. The Case Study (Zero Hour: Situation Critical)
• On a beautiful sunny Monday morning at 0930 hours, a man driving a stolen armored truck blows
past a security checkpoint at a South Florida power plant. The man, dressed in black, and wearing
heavy body armor, and armed with a 12 gauge auto loader, two 45 caliber handguns, a tech 9, two
AR 15 assault rifles, an AK-47, as well as a stock-pile of homemade pipe bombs. Once the armed
assailant made it through the security checkpoint, he stopped the truck, got out, and opened up fire
on security officers. While security, which is also heavily armed shot back, the man was trained in
military-style combatants and expert shooting techniques. While no security officers were injured in
the initial shooting with the assailant, the assailant still out numbered security forces with his intense
firepower, and combatant tactics.The shooter got back in the stolen truck, and crashed
through the power plant, where many scientists are working
on vital and sensitive research projects. At the same time the
man crashed through the power plant, outside security
forces were communicating inside with security inside the
building. From there, security forces inside the power plant
took charge, however, they too were outnumbered. What
they did have was Shot Spotter and Geographic Information
System (GIS) technology, that helped them find out where
the shooter was going to in the power plant. From there,
security forces were able to use their SWAT tactics to go
after the shooter. http://nuclearsecurity.wordpress.com/about/
15. The Case Study (Continued)
http://www.whisprwave.com/markets/energy/nuclear-reactor-security/
While this armed assailant was carrying heavy firepower, security
forces had a plan together , in case something like an active
shooter event would happen. All security officers carried mobile
phones, equipt with GIS and Shot Spotter technology. Using these
mobile devices, security forces were able to detect gunfire within
the power plant, as well as track the shooters movements through
the use of GIS technology.GIS can help security and law enforcement:
• Understand events and dynamics in a neighborhood including
persons, events, and crime hazards.
• Identify risk factors including businesses, buildings, or other
locations that draw crime.
• Rapidly reconfigure beats and reallocates resources after after
analyzing crime trends over time.
• Develop plans for special crime abatement teams to address
regional or seasonal hot spot locations.
• Capture repeat call-for service locations to apply additional help
and resources.
Next, you get a chance to finish the scenario of
what happened at that power plant, and draw
your own conclusions. After you draw your
conclusions, I will show you what I thought up.
16. Zero Hour: Situation Critical
• Once security officers were able to detect the gunfire with ShotSpotter technology, it was up to them, and their
tactics training to neutralize he shooter. However, security officers did not how well trained the shooter was. After
throwing many pipe bombs through many of the halls and research labs, the shooter was spotted by security
forces. Both security forces and the shooter opened up fire at each other, eventually causing the shooter back
outside into the armored truck. Security forces were still firing on the truck with heavy gunfire. After unloading
their ammunition on the truck, they had to reload. In the meantime, police officers and federal agents were en
route, including Coast Guard forces that were coming in as backup, because of the Shot Spotter and GIS
technology they had on their government issued smart phones. Suddenly, the quite in the air broke as the shooter
opened the back door of the armored truck, threw a handful of pipe bombs at the security officers, and closed the
door in a hurry. The officers scurried to take cover, while the pipe bombs exploded. None of the officers were
injured, but were relived to hear the sound of sirens coming their way. It was local police, followed by a slough of
federal agents in SUV’s and SWAT vehicles; all very heavily armed. The sound of orange helicopters flew above
the security officers; the Coast Guard was here. It was time to take this shooter down.
17. Zero Hour: Situation Critical
• Just as back-up was starting to arrive, the roof of the armored truck opened up, and a rounded protective plate
popped up. It was the shooter, and to the surprise of law enforcement, the shooter had a 50 Cal Machine gun. The
shooter started firing at law enforcement officer, federal agents, Coast Guard forces, and security officers. The
shooter destroyed the federal agents’ SUV’s, damaged Coast Guard helicopters, and tore up security vehicles. Shot
Spotter technology was going off at every agency that was in a 50 mile radius. State troopers were getting up to date
information via Twitter, GIS, and Shot Spotter; they were blazing to the scene at a rapid speed as well. While Coast
Guard forces were trying to get back on their feet, security forces were able to muster enough strength and
combative tactics to take down the shooter, just as he ran out of 50 Cal ammo. The shooter blazingly jumped out of
the armored truck, armed with an AK-47. The security officers surrounded the shooter with 9mm handguns. The
shooter seeing he was outnumbered slowly dropped to ground, but not before stripping off a sac from his tactical
vest to reveal a handful of grenades, in which he was able to strip the pins off before the security officers even got a
chance to grasp what happened. GOTTCHA! Those words echoed from the shooter’s mouth. The officers stood
there and laughed. Just as state troopers rolled up on scene, one of the security officers said, “He got us!” The
federal agents, police officers, and Coast Guard forces rose from the debris in shock that the “assailant” defeated
them. The shooter stood up, and said, “Gentlemen, I used your own technology against you.” The shooter, whose
real name is John Marks, and one of the officers said, “With 27 years of military experience, I saw all of your weak
spots. If this were a real attack, and the shooter were as well trained as I am, especially with mobile technology, you
would all be dead. Training is everything, and we have a lot of work to do!” The officers, federal agents, and Coast
Guard forces agreed. It was time to reload!
“If we could get all the agencies that have a responsibility of public safety onto the same
page, with a common operating picture and doing a few simple things systematically
together, the impact would be huge, potentially reducing incidents by 15-20 percent.”
–Advisor to UK city police department
18. Recovery, Response, and Command
• Before any organization can recover from an emergency situation, team members have to know what
tasks, either logistical, operational, or technical to perform, what tools are necessary to perform them
consistently (Molinari, 2014).
Collective action in an emergency situation can work
• Work from points of mutual interest
• Work through existing forms or institutions
• Plug into existing plans and organizations
• Error on the side of too much in terms of information. Advance information helps
quell issue and makes people confident about the action.
• Prior planning helps make things go easier.
• Victory goes to the prepared! (MaGee, 2013)
A system of standards and practices in emergency recovery situations should
include the following (Molinari, 2014):
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (ex. incident command)
• International Standards Organization (ex. risk, security, and service
management
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (ex. safety, security,
science)
• Project Management Institute (ex. scope, schedule, budget,
communications)
• Lean/Six Sigma (ex. gap analysis, continuous improvement, control)
19. Complementary Technologies
Sensing/Network
• Security and alarm networks
• Existing technology networks, such as WIFI
• Video
• Video Surveillance
• Video Management Systems (VMS)
Infrastructure
• Physical Security Information Management (PSIM)
• Site Security and building management technologies
• Physical security (bollards, locks, shields)
Organizational
• Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD)
• Common Operating Picture (COP) systems
Alerting
• First responder notification and alerting
technologies
• SMS and other electronic broadcast techniques
• Public Address (PA) and other alerts sirens
“Around the world,
public safety applications
are calling on citizens to
use mobile technology to
inform law enforcement
agents of crimes and
accidents”
(West and Valentini, 2013, P. 12).
20. Ask Yourself…
• Are video recordings available to provide
evidence?
• Does my organization’s technology help
detect false alarms, assess situations and
respond accordingly?
• How automated is our reporting?
• Can responders on the ground access
varied media and tactical information?
• Do we use interactive training for new
systems, equipment and procedures?
• Does my organization have a complete,
real-time view of incidents?
• Can we dispatch the right equipment and
resources based on information based on
information coming from the scene?
• Do we have real-time visibility of
operations at the command center? (IBM,
2014, pp. 6-10)
“We live in the midst of alarms, anxiety beclouds the
future; we expect some new disaster with each newspaper
we read.” –Abraham Lincoln
21. References
Davis, V. (2013, July 19). From xbox to the cia: How gamification boosts learning. Received: 31 August. 2014.
ESRI. (2010/2011 Winter). A better way to protect schools). ARCNEWS. Received: 1 September. 2014.
ESRI. (2008). Crime analysis: GIS solutions for intelligence-led policing. pp. 1-6. Received: 17 August. 2014
IBM. (2011, November). Business continuity: How to increase workforce resiliency during disasters. IBM Global Technology Services. pp.
1-12.
IBM. (2014, May). High-performance law enforcement. Smarter Cities. pp. 1-12.
IBM. (2011). Memphis pd: Keeping ahead of criminals by finding the “hot spots.” Smarter Planet Leadership Series. pp. 1-5.
IBM. (2012, February). The value of smarter public safety and security. Corporate Marketing. pp. 1-16.
Kapp, C. (2014, March 12). Eight game elements to make learning more intriguing. Received: 17 August. 2014.
Leaman, C. (2014, July). Boost basic job training. TD Magazine. pp. 35-39.
Magee, T. (2013, June 25). Kansas city planners band together in exercise. Disaster Recovery Journal. 26,(3). Received 31 August. 2014.
Molinari, S. (2014, June 23). Managing command, control, and communication risks during disaster recovery operations. Disaster Recovery
Journal. 27,(3). Received: 31 August. 2014.
SST. (2014, March). Mitigating active shooting incidents and sniper attacks on the bulk power grid. Received: 31 August. 2014.
Straw, J. (n.d). Games aid in emergency management. Security Management.
23. The Future of Law Enforcement
“Nobody knows
a ward better
than the
patrolman who
rides as many
as six or seven
days a week for
eight to 10
hours a day.
Showing our willingness to learn from their knowledge and
experience is the best way to get them to take ownership.”
–Larry Godwin Director of Police Services Memphis PD