For the first time in South Yorkshire, police in Barnsley will be adopting Twitter as an avenue of communication for the days policing demands. On Saturday, 10 September, from 7am police will be tweeting various information to convey to the public the mass demand police in Barnsley face for 12 hours.

During the day, similarly to the GMP24 Twitterthon, police will be releasing details of calls received, however, further to this; police will also be releasing information relating to incidents the response team gets called to and information relating to the custody suite.

The information being communicated through Twitter will raise awareness of the diverse and complex role of policing.

To add to this, the date of the Twitterthon, (Saturday, 10 September) will coincide with the Barnsley FC vs. Leicester FC football match, in which police assistance is paramount, therefore information relating to the policing of the football game will also be communicated via Twitter.

The day will include a mass of information being corresponded through Twitter and will hopefully enable the public to see how much time and resources officers spend policing Barnsley.

Chief Superintendent Andy Brooke of South Yorkshire Police said: “I appreciate that social media plays a key role in our society today and wish to embrace this through the Twitterthon experience. I am hopeful that if we are as transparent as possible, our public will have a clearer understanding of the complex role and demands faced by police.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for us to show the diversity in demand for police and the dedication from my staff to the community of Barnsley.”

To be involved in this innovative and exciting opportunity please follow the hash tag – #barnsley12 from 7am on Saturday, 10 September till 7pm, or alternatively, follow the live feed on the South Yorkshire Police website.
To find out more regarding the Twitterthon and to see which tweeting officers will be participating in the event please follow @SYPBarnsley.

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Notes to Editor:

Media interviews are available with Chief Superintendent Andy Brooke on Monday, 5 September, between 12 – 4pm. To arrange an interview please contact the Communications Office on 01226 736021.

Laura Miller

Laura Miller graduated in Public Relations from Leeds Metropolitan University in July 2010. Shortly after finishing university she began working for South Yorkshire Police as a Communications, Engagement and Marketing Officer for the Barnsley area. Whilst at university she undertook a variety of placements, giving her the knowledge and experience in various sectors including a year with NHS Hampshire. She has a keen interest in online communication and social media. She has used her knowledge in this area to develop the Barnsley 12hr Twitterthon which will take place on September 10, 2011.