GREAT FALLS — The Cascade County Sheriff's Office is asking residents how they prefer to receive emergency updates and law enforcement information through a community survey running through January.
Tim McGonigal spoke to Sheriff Jesse Slaughter about the survey - watch the video here:
Sheriff Jesse Slaughter said the anonymous survey will help his office better understand where people consume news and information, from social media platforms to traditional sources like radio and television.
"We want to make sure that we are being transparent," Slaughter said.
The survey covers the types of news sources residents use and asks participants to share how trustworthy they find different sources. Residents can also suggest ways the office can improve transparency.
"So where are people consuming? Where do they want to consume their information? You know, I think it's important that when you're in, you know, government service, that you reach out to your bosses in the community and you say, how do you want to get your information?" Slaughter said.
According to a national study by the Pew Research Center, a large majority of Americans now rely on digital devices for news..
86% of adults say they sometimes get news from a smartphone,computeror tablet, including 56% who say they do so often.
64% of adults say they get news from television at least sometimes, and 32% say they often get news from television.
The sheriff is particularly hopeful the survey will help his office better serve younger residents, a demographic he says they struggle to reach.
"We struggle with getting on the platforms that young people are on, so that young people learn about the Cascade County Sheriff's Office and the people that work here. You know what jobs are available for them, but how do we relate to them and how do we relate to them in a responsible way, but also how do we relate to them in a fun way, which makes them want to interact with us?" Slaughter said.
As social media platforms continue to evolve, Slaughter emphasized the importance of keeping up with changes. He pointed to Twitter's transformation to X as an example of how platforms can shift their user demographics and appearance.
"If we go back to, you know, say Twitter, which is now X, that platform, how much did that change not only in appearance but also kind of like the demographics of people that use it. And are we keeping up with that? Are we keeping up with the different types of users?" Slaughter said.
While the Cascade County Sheriff's Office maintains a strong Facebook presence, Slaughter said the survey results might lead them to explore other social media platforms or potentially abandon ones that aren't reaching their community effectively.
"Do we maybe want to abandon a platform that that people just don't look at, you know? And so those are the things we're trying to explore because you can't realistically as a government entity, you can't be on every single platform. It's just unrealistic. And I don't think it's a good use of your time. But how do we hit our community, Cascade County's demographic, and how do we get the most out there that we can?" Slaughter said.
The survey is available online through SurveyMonkey or the Cascade County Sheriff's Office website. It can also be accessed through the Sheriff's Office facebook page. Physical copies can be obtained at the Sheriff's Office, located at 3800 Ulm North Frontage Rd.
In November, the sheriff's office announced it is working on a new contract for an emergency communications platform, which they hope to announce this month.
