Social networking platforms including Twitter have been credited with helping South Yorkshire Police and Police Authority inform residents and quash incorrect rumours about potential community disorder in the region during the recent riots in England.

During the social disorder which erupted in other parts of the country, the Authority (@sypoliceauth) nearly doubled its Twitter following by gaining 267 more ‘followers’ in less than three days, taking its total to more than 500. This was, however, eclipsed by South Yorkshire Police (@syptweet) whose followers increased to 9,332 followers from a starting point of 3,000 before events began in London.

The correct message about the absence of disorder given out by South Yorkshire Police was instantly re-messaged (‘re-tweeted’) via authority representatives’ to the public within minutes. As a result, people were kept informed and others, who were searching for information relating to potential disorder, chose to ‘follow’ the Authority and South Yorkshire Police to keep up to speed on developments via the online updates.

The Authority worked online with the police force after they made specific requests for people to re-tweet its messages to counter rumours of disorder, including incorrect speculation that the Force was planning a curfew across the county to prevent disturbances.

Charles Perryman, Chair of South Yorkshire Police Authority, said: "Our approach in South Yorkshire will always be to try and anticipate and resolve any issues communities have in order to build trust, common understanding and strong working relations with community leaders. One way we do this is through our Independent Advisory Groups (IAGs) that the Authority holds on a regular basis for members of different communities to air concerns with the Force and Authority.

"I also believe that the way neighbourhood policing has been implemented across the Force during the course of the past few years, working in partnership with local authorities, has helped South Yorkshire avoid any potential disturbances. Instead of any knee-jerk reaction or change in policy from the government, lessons can perhaps be learned from areas that didn’t experience any disturbances such as South Yorkshire.

Charles added: "It appears that, while social media tools have been blamed by some for helping to organise disturbances in other parts of the country, they have been a definite success story here in South Yorkshire for all involved - the public, the police force and the Police Authority."

South Yorkshire Police Authority has developed an increasing portfolio of online tools to consult and communicate with residents. An online version of its Policing Priorities survey has been conducted to encourage citizens to have their say on plans and targets, while the Authority’s webcasting service was recently cited as an example of best practice by Baroness Ruth Henig in the House of Lords.

Follow the Police Authority on Twitter @sypoliceauth and find us on Facebook.