NCJ Number
81868
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 30 Issue: 2 Dated: (February 1982) Pages: 28-32
Date Published
1982
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Structure and procedures for effective police-media relations are discussed.
Abstract
The police have three primary responsibilities in media relations: (1) the establishment of the position of public information officer (PIO) or its equivalent, (2) communication to all personnel of departmental policy regarding news media, and (3) procedural guidelines to implement the stated policy. The PIO should be a sworn experienced officer to facilitate credibility and the ability to obtain department information. The PIO should initiate contacts with the media in such matters as noteworthy arrests, major crimes, and such public information items as human interest stories on department employees, reports on current crime prevention campaigns, and reports on unique or unusual crime or safety hazards. The PIO will also write new releases, arrange new conferences, and handle citizen requests for information. Police press policy should include such principles as honesty with the press, not playing favorites among media personnel, the issuing of press passes or identification cards for news crews at crime scenes, and not using a news media disguise for undercover police work. Consistent with the limitations imposed by policy, a police press report should contain the same kind of information found in a good police report. It should answer the questions who, what, where, why, when, and how, although it should not be as detailed as a police report. A checklist for whether or not an item should be included in a press release is provided.