NCJ Number
66568
Date Published
1979
Length
15 pages
Annotation
CLOSE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE LONDON POLICE AND THE PRESS SINCE 1919, GREW STRAINED IN THE 1960'S BECAUSE OF POLICE SCANDALS. HOWEVER, A NEW POLICE COMMISSIONER HAS SINCE IMPROVED THESE RELATIONS.
Abstract
THE TROUBLED MARRIAGE BETWEEN THE LONDON POLICE AND THE PRESS WAS BEGUN IN 1919 WHEN A PRESS ROOM WAS OPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME AT SCOTLAND YARD. BUT FEARING LEAKS THAT MIGHT LEAD TO PUBLIC SCANDALS, THE POLICE CONTINUED TO BE HOSTILE TO THE PRESS. HOWEVER, SUBSEQUENT FAVORABLE PUBLICITY FOR POLICE, AND THEIR GROWING AWARENESS THAT THE PRESS HELPED FORM THEIR PUBLIC IMAGE WERE FACTORS THAT HAD IMPROVED PRESS-POLICE RELATIONS BY THE MID-1940'S. BY THE 1960'S, HOWEVER, EMPHASIS BY THE PRESS ON INNOVATION AND VITALITY, BEGAN TO UNDERMINE THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE TRADITIONAL POLICE IMAGE, WHICH THE POLICE, IN TURN, INTERPRETED AS AN ANTIPOLICE MOOD. MADE WORSE BY A 1968 PRESS EXPOSE OF POLICE CORRUPTION, POLICE-PRESS RELATIONS CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE INTO THE EARLY 1970'S. FEAR OF BOTH A PRESS RELATIONS CRISIS AND A HUGE POLICE CORRUPTION SCANDAL LED TO THE APPOINTMENT OF SIR ROBERT MARK AS METROPOLITAN POLICE COMMISSIONER. MARK IMMEDIATELY SET TO WORK TO MAKE PEACE BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE PRESS AS WELL AS TO INSTITUTE POLICE REFORMS. MARK EXPLAINED THAT POLICE CORRUPTION WAS A RESULT OF AN INAPPROPRIATE POLICING SYSTEM EXACERBATED BY AN INADEQUATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WHICH TEMPTED POLICE TO BREAK RULES TO CONVICT CRIMINALS. HE ALSO REESTABLISHED PRESS-POLICE LINKS TO ENSURE A POSITIVE POLICE IMAGE AND TO CREATE FAVORABLE PROPAGANDA FOR THE POLICE. THEREFORE, SUBSEQUENT POLICE SCANDALS HUSHED UP BY MARK CAUSED REPORTERS TO ACCUSE HIM OF MANIPULATING THE NEWS. THE NEW POLICE-PRESS SYSTEM CREATED BY MARK DISCOURAGES INFORMAL REPORTER-POLICE RELATIONS IN FAVOR OF FORMAL CHANNELS TO MINIMIZE LEAKS, THEREFORE ENSURING THAT CERTAIN INFORMATION WILL BE DENIED THE PUBLIC. (PAP)