Himachal Pradesh Police has issued a strict Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to regulate the use of social media by its personnel, warning that any misuse—especially creating reels in police uniform—will lead to immediate action. The SOP has been implemented with immediate effect, and employees violating it will face suspension, stoppage of increments, demotion, and even dismissal in serious cases.
According to the new guidelines, no police employee is allowed to upload reels, videos, photos, or posts of a private, religious, political, or personal nature while wearing the police uniform. The department has also barred personnel from sharing investigation details, crime-related facts, identities of victims or accused, or videos from duty locations on their personal social media accounts.
The SOP states that only authorised officers can release press notes, public awareness content, and official information related to law and order on official police social media handles. Sharing confidential documents, government orders, viral messages, or any official communication on private accounts has been strictly prohibited.
The police headquarters has clarified that in cases where social media misuse involves a criminal element, an FIR will also be registered against the concerned employee.
To ensure effective implementation, the responsibility has been placed on the Superintendent of Police and Station House Officers. They will regularly review compliance at district and police station levels and send reports of violations to the police headquarters.
The department has underlined that the new SOP aims to prevent misuse of the police uniform and maintain public trust by ensuring responsible use of social media by its personnel.
