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Any-City Confidential: Here's the Story on Cop-Media Relations

NCJ Number
174280
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 22 Issue: 5 Dated: May 1998 Pages: 18-19-25
Author(s)
D Scoville
Date Published
1998
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The importance of productive police-media relations is emphasized, and recommendations to guide police departments in dealing with the media are offered.
Abstract
Some police departments have hired trained media liaisons and have appointed department spokespersons, the goal being to project a more professional image. Even so, police departments are still subject to the editorial and political agendas of others. Police relations with the media can be improved by adequate preparation. Police departments should prepare a list of key messages they want to convey, present facts that prove their messages and make them credible, think of topics or sensitive questions they may be asked and formulate answers ahead of time, and be honest and personal with the press. In addition, police departments should use positive words and phrases in responding to questions, be aware of body language, assume everything said may be quoted, and not speculate when answering questions. Frustrations encountered by police departments when dealing with the media are noted, and the importance of developing a strong police-media relations team and improving communication is stressed. 6 photographs