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ALUMNI STORIES

Toronto Police's voice online

Chris Boddy

Sergeant, Toronto Police

Currently, @TPS ChrisBoddy has 23,400 followers.
PHOTO: JOANNE RATAJCZAK

SERGEANT CHRIS BODDY HAS MADE his share of arrests during a 25-year career as a Toronto Police Officer. His resume also includes 54,900 tweets, 23,400 followers and 4,400 photos.

Since joining the world of social media, this Seneca Law Enforcement (now Police Foundations) alumnus has become one of Toronto's most recognized police officers.

“I tweet about 20 times a day,” says Chris. “And I put at least one or two photos on Facebook.”

Chris was introduced to social media four years ago, when the Toronto Police Service offered a three-day course to officers. With what he learned, Chris began building relationships with Toronto's residents online, just like he did when he started as a 22-year-old beat cop.

“A lot of what I do on social media is tied to police safety,” says Chris. “Even the fun posts still have underlying safety messages.”

Chris discovered that a lot of people do not know who to call when they are having an issue. Having a strong presence online helps police remove that barrier.

“I would hate to live in a community where I felt like I couldn't reach out to the police,” he says. “We're lucky in Toronto we have a good relationship with the community.”

Chris grew up in a family of firefighters and felt destined for a career in public service. He heard stories of all the people his father and grandfather helped. For a while, Chris thought he would become a firefighter. But he decided policing was the path for him, and began at Seneca. His next task will be to launch the Toronto Police Service's new customer service strategy.

26 RED 2015