MEDIA RELATIONS (police)

For decades, law enforcement’s relationship with the media was often described as antagonistic, adversarial, and strained. Police resisted dissemination of information that might threaten an investigation, create fear, or endanger the public, including the media. However, as police organizations moved from a paramilitary organizational structure toward a more open community service orientation, they began to understand the value of the media as an important resource. This organizational shift, led by national commissions on law enforcement standards and practices, has resulted in a greater emphasis on community interactions and partnerships (Sandler and Mintz 1974; Culbertson et al. 2000). One result of this shift was enhanced police-media relations.

For many contemporary police administrators, media relations is the most important aspect of a community outreach program. Today, the police see the many benefits of cooperating with the media. The media often are useful vehicles for making public appeals for information important to a case, they promote crime prevention efforts, and they can help to sell the value of agency services to local taxpayers who may be voting on a bond issue (Dwyer and Motschall 1996). Recognizing the ability of the media to reach specialized target publics and affect public opinion, large police departments are hiring public relations firms to design media campaigns that address image problems or recruitment efforts (Becton et al. 2005).

Commenting on the importance of police communication, one public relations executive asserted that “communication … is particularly important for a police agency. More than any other government agency, a police department needs the understanding and support of the general public and the municipal government to function to the best of its ability” (Stateman 1997, 18). Many law enforcement agencies today have instituted public information programs to inform the public about and involve community members in law enforcement activities. By educating and involving the public, police hope that citizens will put into perspective controversial events that typically involve just a few officers but that often reflect poorly on an entire department. Citizen police academies, which familiarize people with the roles, issues, and operations of police agencies, are one example of proactive communication efforts designed to ”develop a relationship of trust and cooperation between the police and citizens” (Becton et al. 2005, 20).

An important factor in building positive, productive relationships with media is law enforcement’s willingness to disseminate information. The media depend on timely, newsworthy information in order to inform the public. In response to the media’s need for information, many medium- and large-sized municipal agencies, county departments, and federal law enforcement agencies have established public information officer (PIO) positions primarily to disseminate information to and build relationships with the media. The police PIO as media relations specialist is one important avenue for maintaining open communication.

Public Information Function

Public information is distinct from but related to other communication functions within a police organization. Community relations involves efforts to engage community groups through programs such as crime prevention, team policing, and school liaison (Miller and Hess 2002, 11). The public information function involves informing the media and the general public about these and other agency programs, operations, events, and activities. Further, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s extensive Reference Guide for its The Law Enforcement Public Information Workshop states (pp. 2-3):

In general, a PIO acts as a liaison between the agency and its administration, other government bodies, private organizations, and the media. This liaison function creates goodwill and positive publicity that enhances the agency’s image and contributes to public support. The role of the PIO is to portray the agency as a professional organization whose mission is to protect life and property. Effective PIO performance will boost public support for the CEO as the agency strives to meet the needs of the community it serves. In general, the PIO should help the agency receive maximum positive media coverage.

Thus, the PIO acts as an information disseminator, primarily to the media. This often highly visible role as department spokesperson requires knowledge and skills that best represent the agency.

PIO Profile/Work Tasks

Recent studies (Motschall and Cao 2002; Surette 2001; Surette and Richard 1995) describe a profile of the PIO as older than forty, college educated (primarily criminal justice or journalism degrees), and a sworn officer who usually reports directly to the agency chief or director. PIO positions typically are considered management level, with few PIOs at a rank below the position of sergeant. PIO positions are mostly appointed, and the majority of individuals learn their duties on the job.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Law Enforcement Public Information Workshop Reference Guide provides a comprehensive list of public information duties that are routinely performed by PIOs (pp. 3-4-3-6). They include:

• Reporting directly to the chief or director, representing him or her and the agency, and providing him or her with daily media information

• Handling daily media inquiries about routine investigations, traffic accidents, and other enforcement matters

• Coordinating all aspects of general public information and community relations programs that promote a positive departmental image

• Meeting all standards set by state statutes (for example, public records laws) and national organizations

• Organizing news conferences

• Responding to media requests for information (including Freedom of Information requests and supervising release of criminal information and photographs)

• Publishing the agency’s newsletter

• Maintaining files (including media lists, story clippings, and photographs)

These duties illustrate the need for PIOs to have skills in or knowledge of written and oral communication, all forms of media (including print, broadcast, web based), basic research and data collection, publications management, special events coordination, media policy development, crisis management, and photography and videography.

Clearly, the primary activities that PIOs perform are media oriented. A study of the role and function of the PIO showed that of twenty-six different work tasks PIOs performed, the top six were media focused (Motschall and Cao 2002). More than 90% of PIOs write press releases, make contact with the media, and arrange for press conferences. Table 1 shows that there was little variation over time in the high percentage of PIOs who perform media relations activities.

Table 1 Type of PIO Techniques/Activities by Percentage of PIOs

“Techniques were not on the 1992 pilot survey. They were added due to the number of write-ins. Source: Motschall and Cao 2002, 167. Note: N =71.  

Work Techniques/Activities

A majority of PIOs also conduct in-house media advising and perform other communication or information activities, such as research, arranging for photogra-phy/videography, preparing agency publications, and conducting training. The wide range of activities suggests that PIOs need to be well trained in order to meet the information needs of the media and accurately and positively disseminate information on behalf of their organizations. The skill set may expand even more as police agencies embark on sophisticated media campaigns, which will require the PIO to know how to work with vendors, such as PR firms, media buyers, printers, graphic designers, and other specialists.

Training and Preparation

The growth in the public information function has created a demand for national and statewide professional associations that provide PIOs with training and professional development opportunities. The National Information Officers Association (NIOA), which formed in 1989, is one such organization, whose six hundred members include law enforcement, fire, government, and emergency service PIOs from throughout North America. The association’s organizers found that nearly three-quarters of PIOs affiliated with a state association had no media background or experience as a PIO. The NIOA began providing training and information on job techniques through association meetings and conferences. Today, more than half of PIOs have some media experience. The NIOA offers education, training, and networking opportunities through annual conferences and the bimonthly publication NIOA News. The organization plans to address future initiatives such as accreditation of PIOs and regional training (http://www.nioa.org).

Other professional associations, such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), have established public information officer sections in response to this growing segment of law enforcement (http://www.theiacp.org). In addition, the essential skills of a PIO can be developed through programs offered at the Institute of Police Technology and Management at the University of North Florida and at the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy Program, both of which emphasize media relations training. Participants learn such techniques as how to participate in media interviews, how to set up press conferences, and how to handle the media in emergency situations.

Local agencies also are encouraged to seek regional and local academy programs that provide media relations training. Often local media representatives are invited to deliver sessions, provide valuable tips, and conduct role playing on how to foster effective police-media relations. In addition, interdepartmental training programs and regular meetings with local media representatives are mechanisms for police and media to increase their level of understanding of one another’s job expectations. They also are opportunities to provide feedback on important initiatives such as departmental media policies.