MIPD Social Media Use Policy

This refers to the social media sites (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc) operated by the Mercer Island Police Department in Mercer Island, Washington. The sites were created to provide our citizens and users access to information about the Mercer Island Police Department, and are monitored by assigned staff.
 
Before posting on these pages, please review these terms:

A posting on any of these pages constitutes acceptance of these terms. Do not use these sites to report a crime. To report a crime, dial 911.  If you have information related to a crime (suspects involved, location, evidence, etc.), please call Crime Stoppers at 555-2111 or 911. If you post information related to a crime on this page, you may be placing yourself in the position of becoming a witness to a crime and subject yourself to subpoena.
 
“Friending” or “Liking” between the Mercer Island Police Department and a user does not indicate endorsement of that person’s actions or comments.  Comments posted by others on any Mercer Island Police Department site are not to be considered the opinion of the Mercer Island Police Department; nor does Mercer Island Police Department endorse any third-party user comments.  
 
The Mercer Island Police Department welcomes a person’s right to express his/her opinion and encourages posters to keep comments related to content on these pages. The Mercer Island Police Department WILL REMOVE any comments that are deemed to be inappropriate or offensive, including comments that:  defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or violate the legal rights of others; or that include racism, hatred, slander, threats, obscenity, violence, vulgarity, and/or spam.  The Police Department will also remove: advertisements that have personal information about another person and/or violate a person’s privacy; postings that include copyrighted material that belongs to another person; postings that contain links to inappropriate websites; or postings that are clearly intended to be incendiary or are off-topic.
 
The Mercer Island Police Department reserves the right to remove and/or block anyone who posts inappropriate material as determined by the Mercer Island Police Department.  Posting of photos or videos by anyone other than authorized members of the Mercer Island Police Department is not allowed.  

Communications made through social media sites in no way constitute a legal or official notice or comment to the City or any official or employee of the City for any purpose.

Questions about this MIPD policy or the City’s social media outlets may be directed to the City's Communications Manager, communications@mercergov.org

City of Mercer Island
Updated Dec 2019