SOCIAL media is an “avenue that modern policing needs to continue to explore” according to Gloucestershire Police’s deputy chief constable, ahead of tomorrow’s 24-hour ‘Twitterthon’.

From 7am on Friday, January 13 until 7am on Saturday, January 14 almost every aspect of policing at Gloucestershire Constabulary will be documented on the @Glos_Police as part of the scheme.

DCC Rod Hanson, speaking to the Standard this morning, said: “It’s the first time we’ve held something like this. We want to demonstrate a typical day in policing. People tend to form their views from TV, films and documentaries – which is understandable.

“But we want to show more, to open up doors to what really goes on – from call handling to forensics.”

He said a communications team will “be imbedded within all aspects of the constabulary”.

“They will be out in the wind and rain at all hours – in patrol cars and on foot, producing a wide variety of tweets.

“There’s never a boring day in policing,” he said. “The public will get to see everything from the serious through to the minor.”

What’s more, the public can also get involved throughout the day with their views and opinions using #GlosPol24.

Over the last few years, several constabularies across the country have held similar Twitterthons, while many interact daily with the public on social media, including Gloucestershire Police.

“It’s very useful,” said DCC Hansen. “If there’s a road closure, for example, or we want witnesses to come forward.

“Policing is too important to just be left to the police.

“We need to be interactive. A resident always has more knowledge about what is happening in a local community than anyone else.”

Referring to the often humorous nature of some of the police tweets, DCC Hansen said he hopes it helps to show ‘the lighter sides of policing’.

“We are human beings, after all.

“The image of the police is often one of confrontation, with two parties involved and only one winner,” he said.

In 2015, it was revealed that major policing cutbacks of up to £20million in the county will see a re-shaping of the UK’s police force over the next few years, but DCC Hansen was not fazed by the prospect.

“We have reduced numbers, but we have austerity measures to adapt to that. Change brings about opportunity, and it’s allowed us to use certain technology in a different way,” he said, adding: “modern policing must incorporate modern practices.”