BLOG OFFERS UNIQUE COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITY

On 20 May 2006 the Associated Press announced that the Los Angeles police protect, serve–and now they blog, too.

And that’s exactly what CAL-MOAA is doing at this site. Or trying to do.

According to reliable sources, a “blog” is short for weblog, a journal (or newsletter) that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or website.

“Good luck with your cesspool of crime, disease and victimhood.” According to the news release, such was the top Los Angeles cop William Bratton’s introduction to the rough-and-tumble online bulletin boards after his inaugural posting on lapdblog.org. The new site is only a week old.

So far, the “cesspool” post notwithstanding, Bratton’s message and responses to it have largely been positive. The site already has had 24,000 visitors who see announcements for department events and recycled press releases.

The point is to build public trust by improving communications–to create online give-and-take, even when the taking smarts. “We want to hear feedback,” said Lt. Paul Vernon, who is helping to oversee the blog. “We welcome them, however serious or tongue-in-cheek they are.” As long as posts aren’t profane and do not attack specific officers, they will stay online.

CAL-MOAA’s immediate past president, CDR Robert Burke, USN-Ret, along with webmaster Gloria, have been working hard to make a weblog opportunity available to MOAA members throughout the state. The technology is in place, the weblog is up and running, and after a short orientation it’s very easy to use. It’s a splendid medium for members to present a point of view and react to what others have said, keeping an almost real-time dialogue going on important issues.

Just like the Los Angeles Police Department, CAL-MOAA officials would like members up and down the state to start writing, expand the process of multiple interpersonal and interorganizational communications, and start posting comments as well as reacting to statements written and placed on the weblog by others.

So far, the Council’s blog has been used more as a newsletter than anything else; there have been few, if any, posts where a member writes as if he is talking face to face with another. There are those who suggest we should let ‘er fly, say what’s on our minds; others note that MOAA is a dignified organization, a professional group, perhaps hinting that active and retired military officers would not, or should not, engage in blogging activities.

Police from Karnataka, India, to Eden Prairie, Minn, have started blogs and say they are happy with the results. Visitors to the Los Angeles Police Department’s blog say candor from a historically tight-lipped department will determine the site’s success. “To say blogging implies having a conversation with the public,” said media critic Jeff Jarvis, “it will be hard for them to do. What’s going to happen when there’s another controversy in L.A.? Are they going to get into deep conversation about Rodney King? I’d be surprised.”

The CAL-MOAA weblog is available for member use only; members must register in order to write and post messages and comments. To date, more than 50 Council and chapter members have registered to post items and comments to the blog, with very few having done so.

At the recent EXCOM meeting in Oakland, a new strategic plan was brought forward for consideration. Without much real debate, vision and mission statements, critical portions of the plan, won unanimous approval–but the plan itself was not voted upon. We now go into the future without a strategic plan to guide our day-to-day actions. Literally for weeks prior to that meeting, opportunities existed to put ideas, notions, points of view, positions, on the weblog, get it all out into the open, and set the plan up for easy approval. But the blog wasn’t used. There was little or no advance discussion. And the plan was not put forth for a vote.

Sean Bonner, whose online prodding helped inspire the L.A. Police Department’s blog launch, said police need time to get used to the new medium. “They’re all brand-new to blogs,” said Bonner, the Los Angeles-based co-founder of a worldwide network of city blogs called Metroblogging.com. “They’ve been calling me and asking questions. They want to do it right.”

We’re hopeful that as time goes by chapter members everywhere will participate fully, take advantage of this wonderful technology tool, and work to improve communications. See “Welcome Back” and “Blog Information” at the right side of the page, top.

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