Alex Coley, former Head of Digital Services at the Metropolitan Police, talks about how the police use of social media has been transformed in the wake of the riots of last summer. As private and public organisations move towards service models in digital, Alex talks about the difficult balancing act the police face in engaging through social media while also monitoring the same channels for intelligence. From Scotland Yard to the Met Special Operations Room, the Home Office and the Foreign Office, social media has been on a journey in the corridors of power over the last year. This is that story.