Public Relations for Law Enforcement Agencies

Law-enforcement agencies, especially policecall. It is a love-hate relationship with citizens often and
departments often get a bad rap and a bad reputationlaw enforcement and that is too bad. Clearly it does
due to negative publicity or mistakes that might havenot have to be that way.
been made in the field. Sometimes these stories getPolice departments should form community policing
rather embellished and it is not the Police Department'sunits that improve visibility and understanding.
fault. Sometimes perfectly honest police officers areEducational programs in the schools are also important
made to look like the devil and the mass mediafor police departments and they obviously will help
hysteria runs away with a story based on a short clipwhen it comes time for witnesses to come forward.
of a video, which is limited in length and does not showLaw-enforcement agencies should always be on good
the whole picture of what happened.terms with the local media and have open
It is important for law enforcement agencies to be outcommunication lines. They should also promote a very
and about and respected by the public. Whereasstrong and robust public relations program so that they
some people who receive a speeding ticket are angrydo not fall victim to hearsay when problems arise.
at the Police Department, the first time somethingPlease consider all this in 2006.
happens to them the police are the first people they