The Met Police initiative is the brainchild of PC Magdalena Rosiak who has been working in the service for 2 years. The Twitter account, @MPSPolska, will translate important messages on fighting crime and is designed to help thousands of Polish Londoners to become more connected to their local policing team.
Polish is the second most spoken language in the UK after English, with over half a million people using it as their first language according to the 2011 census.
The new services will be piloted initially in the London boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow where 6.3 per cent and 4.1 per cent of the local population speak polish respectively.
PC Magdalena Rosiak said: "We are really excited to pilot the new Polish twitter account. It is a great opportunity to engage with the local Ealing and Hounslow Polish community in their own language.
#FF to new @metpoliceuk Polish Twitter service @MPSPolska — helping #police engage with the thousands of Polish Londoners across the capital
— MOPAC (@MOPACLdn) January 23, 2015
"Overcoming language barriers is key when talking to people in local communities. Strong communication is vital for effective policing particularly when assisting victims of crime or piecing together information.
"Social media is a fantastic way to bring policing closer to the communities we serve. Of course I can't physically talk to every Polish speaker in London, but through the new services everyone can stay fully informed about what is going on."
The move to establish a single Twitter account comes nearly a year after Sergeant Adam Pawlowski became the first Met officer to tweet in Polish from the Hammersmith and Fulham account.
Idziesz spać? Zastanów się gdzie zostawiłeś kluczyki od samochodu. Nie ułatwiaj zadania złodziejowi! #Hounslow pic.twitter.com/abwrSc4bi4
— Londyńska policja (@MPSPolska) January 28, 2015
Police Caught Following Victoria Beckham and Lady Gaga
Social media has been increasingly used by the police as a way to improve its image, particularly among young people. Forces are encouraged to use Twitter to ‘engage' with communities, post updates about crimes and to appeal for information and witnesses.
The moves come as The Met Police — along with many others across the UK — faces further cuts in its budget, as part of the coalition government's austerity measures, following the global banking crisis. As part of its transformation, the Met is attempting to make more use of social media and the internet to engage more with people while saving money.
The force has announced cuts of £800m to its £3.5bn budget over the next four years, having already imposed £600m of cuts over the last four years.
The use of police Twitter accounts hit the news two years ago when it was discovered that many of them were following celebrities, including Victoria Beckham, Rihanna, Simon Cowell, Lady Gaga and Downton Abbey.
