Bangor, Maine is a town with some 33,000 inhabitants and the greater metropolitan area counts a little over 150,000. So how does the Facebook page of the Bangor Maine Police Department end up with over 150,000 likes?
Because it’s absolutely brilliant.
Let us count the ways…
1. Humor
Their posts are funny, with a self-deprecating, smart humor that is perfect for Facebook. The police officer writing them is a self-proclaimed fan of The Onion and Mad and it shows. It’s so obviously over the top, that even the most negative people on social media (and as we all know, there’s quite a few of these…) can’t interpret his words as anything else but humor.
2. Rituals
Rituals work well on social media: types of posts that keep coming back, a long-running (inside) joke, or a type of gadget that is a fan favorite. Bangor PD has the ‘Duck of Justice’ (DOJ) for instance, their famous preserved and stuffed duck that regularly shows up in pictures 9see picture below for Sgt. Tim Cotton with the DOJ). It has become so famous that people actually drive to Maine to see it and take a picture with it.
Every posts ends with the same line: “The men and women of the Bangor Police Department will be here!” It’s simple, yet kind of awesome for a police department. There are also regular references to their motto to be kind to one another, which they also put into practice themselves by the way, for instance when they bought a new radio flyer for a 4-year old whose car was stolen.
Another fan-favorite is their version of the police blotter, called ‘Got Warrants?’. Police blotter in general is boring and dry as dust, but boy, does the Bangor PD version cheer you up. Here’s just a tiny fragment from their latest Got Warrants Post (posted April 20th):
“A man in a red coat was clearly intoxicated and sleeping on a Rutland Street porch. The porch was not his to sleep on and the homeowner wisely contacted us to arrange different accommodations. Officer Sperrey (a busy young lad) noted that the man smelled of spirits and staggered as people sometimes do after drinking several too many. When Sperrey asked him where he was headed the man said he would like a ride to his grandparent’s home in Eagle Lake. Eagle Lake is 155 miles to the north. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
The man’s continuous and clangorous use of the f-bomb caused Rutland Street porch lights to kick on faster than the man’s common sense could be activated. He did not heed the clear and concise warnings to quiet down and the young officer had no choice but to change the venue by applying the stainless restraint devices that we seem to use far too often when a moral compass has been lubed improperly with ethyl alcohol.”
3. Great Writing
Sgt. Tim Cotton, the police officer writing the posts, has some serious writing skills. What’s interesting is that he’s new to social media and ‘violates’ some well-known Facebook rules. His posts are really long for instance—he definitely leans towards the flowery prose—and he doesn’t always use a picture, which is known to increase engagement.
Yet it works.
One reason is that this man is a great storyteller. He sees the stories in the every day dealings of his police department and he has both the funny and the writing skills to bring these stories to life.
4. Awesome Pictures
When there are pictures, they’re golden. The pictures posted on this Facebook page include selfies from the dispatchers, officers posing with people they have helped, the SAWT team training on a local playground (which inspired a truly hilarious comment from Sgt. Cotton), etc. Even the obligatory pictures of wanted criminals (mostly security camera shots from thieves) are made funny by the flowery descriptions, like this one:
“Legos. Walmart has them. This fellow wants them.
What is missing from the security recording is the all important phase of the shopping experience that includes a transfer of currency. Yes, he is stealing Legos. Approximately five hundred dollars ($500.00) worth.
The photo was taken by the “Lego Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi Camera set.” (Lens not included). Actually, Officer Jose Vidaurri took the photo directly from the computer screen and those do not always come out very well. Actually, never. It gives you a good idea of who we would like to speak to about this theft.
If you know him, are sitting next to him at the coffee counter or spend time with him when the Legos are assembled. If you know where Jose Vidaurri can find him, drop us a line.”
Absolutely. Brilliant.
Equally funny was the picture below with an officer posing with a serious flashback-to-the-80s boombox.
5. Interaction
The Bangor PD appreciates its fans. It posts pictures of people posing with their Duck of Justice for instance, but also regularly responds to comments or questions. It’s truly social in that sense, instead of it being just one-way communication.
The Bangor PD Facebook Page has been steadily attracting new fans, which shows just how good it is. It even got written up in ‘serious media’, like the Washington Post. Seriously, this is Facebook done right and I’m sure that they’re just getting started in gaining followers. If you’re not a fan yet, I’m sure you will be now!
Do you know of any other Facebook Pages that get it right?
Share in the comments!
Eric Dye says
Great example!
Rachel Blom says
I know, right? It’s not everyday that a company’s or organization’s social media presence brightens your day, but I actually look forward to their posts!