Social Media Policy

By engaging in posting or commenting on any social media platform utilized by the Chelmsford Police Department, you voluntarily assume personal responsibility for your comments, username, and any information you choose to share. Additionally, your participation implies agreement with the following terms of use:

The Chelmsford Police Department administers a social media program with the aim of fostering engagement and interaction within our community. This includes the provision of pertinent and timely community news, information, and events, the dissemination of crime prevention and public safety tips, and the delivery of urgent notifications pertaining to critical incidents that may impact residents, business owners, and visitors of the town of Chelmsford Police Department, as well as those with an interest in the Chelmsford Police Department.

All social media platforms employed by the Chelmsford Police Department are categorized as Limited Public Forums. The department respects an individual’s right to express their opinions and encourages contributors to maintain relevance to the discussed topic. The act of posting any content on any social media platform used by the Chelmsford Police Department—whether by a visitor, follower, subscriber, or fan—implies acceptance of the terms of use outlined in this policy.

For the purposes of this policy, a social media platform refers to a website or application accessible to the public, facilitating audio, video, still-photo, or written communication among members of the public and/or representatives of specific groups, businesses, organizations, or departments. Examples of social media platforms include Facebook, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, website blogs with commenting capabilities, forums, and emergency notification services.

In the context of this policy, the term “content” encompasses any written text, photos, graphics, videos, live-video streams, comments, or any form of communicative material exchanged between parties.

The Chelmsford Police Department discourages the posting of requests for police assistance, whether they are of an emergency or non-emergency nature, and cannot guarantee a response from the department or any emergency service provider. For emergencies requiring police assistance, dial 911. To report a crime or provide information pertinent to a crime, please call (978) 256-2521. You have the option to remain anonymous if desired.

If you choose to share information related to a crime, be aware that you might position yourself as a potential witness and may be subject to being subpoenaed into court.

“Becoming a friend” or “Liking” the Chelmsford Police Department, or an officer or employee of the Chelmsford Police Department does not imply an endorsement of the individual’s actions or comments.

Any comments posted by members of the public on any Chelmsford Police Department social media site solely represent the opinion of the commentator or poster. The publication of a comment does not indicate an endorsement or agreement by the Chelmsford Police Department, nor do such comments necessarily mirror the opinions or policies of the Chelmsford Police Department.

The social media platforms of the Chelmsford Police Department are designed to maintain a “family-friendly” environment. When applicable, the department utilizes content moderation and filtering options provided by the platform to restrict the posting of offensive or obscene content. The Chelmsford Police Department actively monitors its social media platforms and will promptly remove inappropriate content, as defined below, without prior notice. The department retains the right to remove and/or block individuals who post inappropriate material, as determined by the department. Inappropriate material may encompass, but is not limited to:

• Comments not related to the original topic, including random or unintelligible comments.
• Profane, obscene, or pornographic content and/or language
• Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, or national origin
• Defamatory or personal attacks
• Threats to any person or organization
• Comments in support of, or in opposition to, any political campaigns or ballot measures
• Solicitation of commerce, including but not limited to advertising of any business or product for sale
• Conduct in violation of any federal, state, or local law.
• Encouragement of illegal activity
• Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems
• Content that violates a legal ownership interest, such as a copyright, of any party
• Harassment or content that constitutes and/or facilitates stalking
• Content that violates the right to privacy
• Encouragement of violence
• Repetitive content
• Comments that may reasonably interfere with, inhibit, or compromise law enforcement investigations, police tactics, police responses to incidents, and/or the safety of police staff and officers.
• Posts or comments that contain any external links

The department does not allow the posting of photos or videos by anyone other than members of the department.

The Chelmsford Police Department retains the authority to restrict access to any Chelmsford Police Department social media sites for individuals who violate the Chelmsford Police Department’s Social Media Terms of Use, without prior notice. If you wish to dispute the removal or concealment of your content or your denial of access “banned” from our social media platforms, you can contact us at (978) 256-2521 and request to speak with our social media manager.

All comments posted to any Chelmsford Police Department Facebook site are bound by Facebook’s Community Standards, and the Chelmsford Police Department reserves the right

to report any violation of Facebook’s Community Standards to Facebook with the intent of Facebook taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.

When applicable, the Chelmsford Police Department reserves the right to report any violation of the X Rules, with the intent of X taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.

When applicable, the Chelmsford Police Department reserves the right to report any violation of the YouTube Community Guidelines, with the intent of YouTube taking appropriate and
reasonable responsive action.

When applicable, the Chelmsford Police Department reserves the right to report any violation of the Instagram Community Guidelines, with the intent of Instagram taking appropriate and reasonable responsive action.

If you have any inquiries regarding the content within this Terms of Use, please reach out to Officer Aidan S. Gillis, the Social Media Manager at the Chelmsford Police Department, at (978) 256-2521.