Course Description

It has never been easier for law enforcement officers, firefighters, dispatchers, and other public safety employees to broadcast their personal views on a range of issues to the community and to the world through social media. With increasing regularity, employees openly share their views on local and national politics, internal agency operations, the competence of their agency leaders, and a multitude of other issues in a way that is accessible to the public. 

This presents a difficult challenge to public agency leaders as they seek to hold employees accountable for statements that harm agency operations while also respecting employees’ First Amendment rights. This balance is made even more challenging due to the necessity of analyzing each individual posting to determine if the post is (1) a statement of public policy position, or (2) one that demeans members of the community that they are sworn to serve and, therefore, undermines their ability to serve in a public safety role.

In this two-hour webinar training, Attorney Matt Dolan will discuss:

  • Public safety employees’ freedom of speech rights and limitations in the age of social media
  • Consistent discipline in the face of controversial political statements 
  • Conduct unbecoming standards—back to basics
  • Saving employees from themselves through clear policies and preventative training
  • Leading by example—the importance of command staff exhibiting discipline in their social media activity

Instructor

Director, Dolan Consulting Group

| Attorney Matt Dolan

Matt Dolan is a licensed attorney in the State of Illinois, who specializes in training and advising public safety agencies in matters of labor and employment law. His practice experience focuses on employment discrimination claims brought under federal law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ("Title VII"), the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act ("ADEA"). He received his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from DePaul University and his J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Matt serves as a public safety instructor with Dolan Consulting Group. He has trained and advised thousands of public safety professionals throughout the United States in matters of legal liability related to personnel management.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Before You Start

    • Consent Questions
  • 2

    Webinar

    • Social Media Policies for Public Safety: Legal Liability and Best Practices | Hour 1

    • Social Media Policies for Public Safety: Legal Liability and Best Practices | Hour 2