NCJ Number
137593
Journal
American Journal of Police Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Dated: (1992) Pages: 33-51
Date Published
1992
Length
16 pages
Annotation
National survey of police agencies and interviews with 17 police chiefs or other law enforcement officials and 17 media executives in the San Francisco area gathered information about the relationship between the police and the media and ways to prevent healthy conflict from dissolving into dysfunctional conflict.
Abstract
In the national survey, a questionnaire containing eight items was mailed to the police departments in the 50 largest cities in the United States; responses were received from 34. Results suggested that a model police department would designate a public information officer, encourage reporters to ride along with patrol officers, train recruits and advanced officers in media relations, and implement a program such as Crime Stoppers. Police agencies should also keep communication channels with the media open. The media should welcome police chiefs and public information officers to their meetings of news directors, provide experienced reporters or the news director to teach police academy classes on police-media encounters, make sure that facts are accurate before printing or airing a story, and encourage reporters to take a course in police-media relations. 26 references