Adorjan, MichaelDewar, Adriana Lucia2023-12-062023-12-062023-11-10Dewar, A. L. (2023). Framing policing image and reputation: police engagement with social media as a tool to employ impression management tactics (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.https://hdl.handle.net/1880/117630https://doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/42473Historically, policing agencies have had a great deal of control over the information released about them. Prior to social media, information was disseminated through media channels such as newspaper articles or press conferences. This allowed for the information to be carefully tailored to highlight only the positive aspects of police behaviour, which directly benefitted them. Alternatively, police used these channels to regulate the information being presented to the public to maintain the position of gatekeeper of influential information. Social media and instant technologically mediated communications offer profound novel opportunities for police to communicate with the public, but also new risks, such as, losing public confidence, legitimacy, and issues of animosity. This study utilized qualitative methods to capture how police agencies employ social media as a means to engage in impression management tactics to influence the public’s perception. In addition, the study analyzed the public’s attitudes and beliefs about the police and their views on policing as a profession through the type of interactions occurring online. The qualitative data was gathered through in-depth interviews with the communications personnel and current police officers from a police agency in Western Canada. In conjunction with the in-depth interviews, an ethnographic content analysis was performed on the social media accounts (Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok) of police agencies in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, and Winnipeg. This research uncovered the impression management tactics being used to influence the public’s perception of the police. In addition, this research illuminated points of contention between the police and civilians, as well as methods for increasing positive interactions on various social networking platforms.enUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Impression ManagementPolicing ImageReputation MaintenanceSocial MediaQualitativeEducation--Sociology ofmaster thesis