Do law enforcement agencies have an obligation to communicate?
Law enforcement agencies have an obligation to communicate with the public about their operations to maintain transparency and public trust. They must balance this duty with safeguarding confidential information. Developing a media plan for high-profile operations can help provide sufficient information to minimize public disruption and speculation while presenting the agency's perspective. Without a media plan, there is a risk of inconsistent messages, media interference, and damage to investigations if information updates are delayed. When speaking to the media, agencies must consider whether discussions are on or off the record and follow principles of being fair, accurate, relevant and timely.
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Do law enforcement agencies have an obligation to communicate?
- 1. Do law enforcement agencies have an obligation to communicate? 22.02.2018, Riga Iveta Ka転oka, director of Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS 2-day seminar on Raising of Awareness as an Effective Tool to Prevent Fraud and Corruption
- 2. Duty to be open and transparent Duty to safeguard confidentiality and integrity of information
- 3. 束When practicable, a clear and factual account of the operation should be provided at the earliest opportunity, while taking care to avoid compromising the operation in any way損 College of Policing, UK, Communication guidance
- 4. Communication with public/media should be high priority even in strategic and tactical planning Develop a media plan for high-profile operations in order to: provide the public with sufficient information (to minimise disruption) provide your agencys own perspective on the event maximise public confidence that your agency knows what it is doing
- 5. What are the risks if there is no media plan? False and/or inconsistent messages (especially when multiple agencies are involved) Delays in info updates might lead to public speculations that might be damaging to suspects/witnesses/victims involved Media starting their own investigations that interfere with the operation Undermining legal proceedings
- 6. Talking to media On the record or off the record Who is talking? Who is a journalist? Exclusives: to what extent are they permissible? Key principles: fair, accurate, relevant, timely