As Coquitlam RCMP faces backlash, expert says women more likely to turn to social media than police

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – After dismissing social media reports as misinformation and rumour, the BC RCMP says it regrets the anger and upset caused by the choice of words.

Saying it’s heard from a number of people who “expressed deep concern about the language used by the BC RCMP,” the Mounties’ latest statement was released as the Coquitlam RCMP faces backlash for its response to a viral TikTok video claiming someone in a white van was targeting and trying to abduct single women on the Lower Mainland.

A crisis communications expert with a focus on law enforcement says police have a lot to learn about how to use social media as a tool. Allan Bonner says women are more likely to turn to social media than police when something happens.

“Now we’re in a new social media era where women may be able to report such things online, and there may be some abuse of that,” he says.

“And sometimes eyewitnesses memories are bad or people’s perceptions are inaccurate but at least we now have an anonymous way to report suspicious behavior that they see and I think that has to be taken seriously.”

We're hearing from crisis communications expert @allanbonner as BC RCMP face backlash for characterizing online reports of potential abduction attempts, rumors. Bonner says rumours turn into investigations and police should be sourcing witnesses from social media: on @NEWS1130

— Ash Kelly she/her (settler) (@AshDKelly) February 9, 2021

Women are often re-traumatized and don’t feel they will be believed when they report a violent crime. There’s also guilt and shame associated with being a victim, which is why Bonner says police need to be present online and sourcing witnesses from social media.

“The fundamental thing that I see is that the police should be asking for more information and dealing with that information as opposed to saying this information is just a rumour,” says Bonner.

“Everything is a rumour and even eye-witness testimony is notoriously unreliable until it becomes evidence in court,” he explains, adding social media has become a tool for women to report suspicious behaviour that they see. “And I think that has to be taken seriously.”

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• Anti-violence advocate says RCMP minimizing fear of viral posts claiming B.C. women being abducted

• RCMP continue to try to dispel fear, rumours about abductions of B.C. women

• ‘No evidence’ to support viral posts claiming B.C. women are being abducted: RCMP

• Women don’t report harassment or violence often enough, say advocates, police

Indigenous women are even less likely to ask the police for help given the tumultuous relationship RCMP has had with their communities and the many times they have felt dismissed or experienced systemic racism.

The Coquitlam RCMP asked people not to share rumours and misinformation online over the weekend as the video spread quickly on social media. Advocates have said the RCMP’s language dismissed women’s concerns, making it less likely people will report what they see.

Bonner, who is also a consultant to police forces across Canada and Asia, says social media is a “mixed blessing” when it comes to its potential use as an investigative tool.

“First of all, it’s anonymous and social media is a nasty space,” he says. “But by the same token, the anonymity encourages people and witnesses to come forward when they otherwise wouldn’t.”

“The police go to enormous lengths with carding and with investigative techniques to find anybody who’s been a witness to anything. And social media happens to be a very easy way to garner what people say or witnesses who maybe actually are witnesses. So, it’s not to be ignored.”

In its statement Monday, the BC RCMP said it “regrets” that the way the social media messaging was handled “caused anger and has upset people.”

“In no way, was it meant to be disrespectful or dismissive of the public’s concern,” the response reads. “We are fully aware that we used language that upset some of the people we serve.”

Women are more likely to report online where they feel more comfortable, especially if they've been dismissed/re-traumatized in the past says @allanbonner – while old fashioned police work wears out shoe leather, new approaches mean wearing out the keyboard. https://t.co/5DD0z5wp24

— Ash Kelly she/her (settler) (@AshDKelly) February 9, 2021

Bonner believes the RCMP hasn’t been handling its communication with the public “too badly at all” in the grand scheme.

“But, by the same token, the thing to do is to reassure the public. And why wouldn’t police want to call for anyone who has any information that might lead to the finding of a missing person? Why wouldn’t police want to have that information come forward?” he says.

On Monday, an RCMP release stated “in addition to our public website, interviews and news releases, the BC RCMP uses social media to communicate directly with the people we serve, and we consider it an important tool to share information quickly. We also understand the power of social media as a platform to spread misinformation causing needless fear in the community.”

Bonner says police should constantly be on social media to find witnesses and would benefit from using it for more than just top-down content sharing.

What about the white van?

BC RCMP are reassuring the public that reports about a suspicious white van have not been substantiated and are pleading with the public to report incidents.

“Please know that the BC RCMP continues to prioritize and investigate any reported missing persons, abduction attempts as we would any serious public safety issue including the ongoing gang conflict. Further, if there is evidence of a heightened risk to the public on any matter, police will provide that alert expeditiously and factually.”

Police confirmed the Real Time Intelligence Centre British Columbia (RTIC-BC), which has a mandate to find links in criminal activity across the province, reports that it has three files where persons were followed by a white van.

“There was no other interaction. A fourth file, confirms one male being forced into a white paneled van. It is still under investigation. Of note, four of the files which reported a white van in their neighbourhoods, reported it after seeing similar posts on social media. No links, trends or increases in missing persons was identified.”

-With files from Nikitha Martins